Ecuador in Danger
This last Tuesday, January 9th, Ecuaor errupted in a spasm of gang violence. It is not clear what set it off. Perhaps it was because President Noboa declared a state of emergency in Ecuador. Perhaps because the head of the Choneros had escaped from prison and ordered it. The worst of the violence was in Guayaquil, a port city that has become a hub for shipments of cocaine out of Latin America. Gang members seized control of a television sation during a news broadcast and threatened the cast and television crew with weapons. Gang members shot at police on the streets and set fire to cars. Others in prison seized their prison guards, threatening their lives and even shooting them.
The day had a terrible effect on the morale in Ecuador. But it galvanized opinion against the gangs. President Noboa reeived support from the socialist party for actions against the gangs. the government estimates there are twenty thousand gang members to deal with. He is following the example of President Bukele in ElSalvador. He plans to build a new mega-rison designed by the same company that built El Salvador's prison and is using the army to round up gang members because he doesn't trust the police. He is also asking for a tax increase to pay for the measure and a change in the constitution to allow senior gang members to be extradited and imprisoned in the United States.