Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa called on Latin American leaders to make a concerted effort to confront the power of transnational organized crime. At the inauguration of the Latin American Security Summit in Guayaquil, the negative impact of globalization was demonstrated, which has facilitated the expansion of crime through structures that have abandoned entire regions and used intercontinental logistics chains, affecting the most vulnerable sectors and corroding state institutions.
No one understood that the fight against transnational crime can only be effective with the cooperation of each nation. He also pointed out the existence of a “false dilemma” between the defense of human rights and the fight against organized crime. However, he denounced human rights violations in the context of internal armed conflict, even though no one has officially declared such a conflict in the past.
Representatives of 17 countries and several international organizations such as the Banco Mundial, the Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina, the Corporación Andina de Fomento and the Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo participate.
Ecuador has become the epicenter of a spiral of violence generated by criminal organizations linked to drug trafficking, with connections to Colombia and Mexico, as well as activities such as illegal mining. These crimes have caused nearly 7,600 violent deaths in the last year throughout the country.
The Ecuadorian government has declared an internal conflict to deal with organized crime, which has generated criticism from human rights organizations and groups that demand the need for this medicine. Despite this, political and military treatments have been implemented in the streets and prisons, which have become centers of operations for criminal gangs.
Recently, drug trafficker Adolfo Macías, known as Fito, and Fabricio Colón Pico, a regional organized crime boss, were targeted by Ecuadorian authorities. While Macías remained a fugitive, Colón Pico was detained and sent to prison.
Ilan Goldfajn, president of the Inter-American Development Bank, stressed the importance of efforts to address the problem of crime and violence in the region, noting that these represent an obstacle to development and economic growth, weakening the rule of law and having a negative impact on the regional gross domestic product.
In this context, if we recognize that the lack of opportunity has contributed to organized crime recruiting desperate youth and children, this suppresses the complexity of this challenge.
Daniel Noboa, who assumed the presidency in 2023 following the early termination of Guillermo Lasso's mandate, has expressed his commitment to the fight against organized crime through the Plan Fénix for Interior Security. However, specific details on this strategy and its results have not yet been disclosed.
