The government and organized criminal gangs, notably the Los Choneros cartel, were involved in the armed war that erupted in Ecuador on January 9, 2024. Numerous regions of the nation have seen an increase in armed attacks, particularly in public spaces and prisons.
After José Adolfo Macías Villamar, the leader of Los Choneros, broke out of jail, the government reacted by declaring an internal war and a state of emergency. The increasing number of criminal gangs and the declining state of internal security are contributing factors to the tensions.
This dispute stems from a larger problem that started with the administrations of Lenín Moreno and Guillermo Lasso with the decrease in public investment on security and the worsening of socioeconomic conditions.
The country is becoming a cocaine transit zone due to the sharp rise in homicide rates in recent years. Following the escape of additional gang leaders, including Fabricio Colón Pico of Los Lobos, the situation became even worse, leading to rioting and attacks on the public, law enforcement, and institutions.
In response, Daniel Noboa's administration launched military operations, establishing a police state throughout the nation. But the fighting has resulted in ongoing skirmishes, military assaults, and a rise in violence that has affected public spaces, colleges, and hospitals all around the nation.
Jorge Glas, a former vice president of Ecuador, is one example in point. He has been imprisoned since 2017 on corruption accusations related to the Odebrecht affair.
As a result of his strong relationship with the late president Rafael Correa, Glas has come to represent political persecution of the nation's progressive movements.
Glas has continuously maintained his innocence and criticized the absence of substantial evidence and due process, even after years of incarceration.