Shortly after the end of the fourth month of the year, the losses due to insecurity alarmed the various manufacturing sectors in the country, which came together this Thursday, April 20, through the Corporation of Export Guilds of Ecuador (Cordex), to demand specific action from the authorities.

According to representatives of these sectors, which include banana, banana, fisheries, shrimp and cocoa; the economic damage is estimated at more than 2 million dollars to date. However, the concern of the representatives of these sectors goes beyond the economic losses, as they assure that the most alarming are the victims and deceased people. They stated that almost 400 people were injured and 14 lost their lives.

They assure that these numbers are up to three times higher than those registered in the same period in 2022, not counting cases that were not reported due to fear of reprisals.

In the first quarter, thefts from shrimp farms increased by 35%, according to the sector

Some unions individually have already publicly expressed the criticality of the violence they were victims of, but this time they have jointly exposed the state of production, mainly that which is based in rural areas. is experiencing the worst indicators of insecurity in history, according to José Antonio Camposan, chairman of the Cordex board of directors, who outlined the demands to the authorities.

They ask the executive:

Petition to the National Assembly:

Requests to the judiciary:

Camposano noted that it has cost the industry tens of millions of dollars to try to protect itself. He commented that the private sector annually invests more than $200 million in security systems such as the introduction of video surveillance cameras, surveillance equipment, satellite tracking, radio, employment of rotating shifts and armed mobile guards, among others.

“We have come to demand that the Ecuadorian state restore peace of mind to those of us who want to work freely…” said Camposano, who is also executive president of the National Chamber of Aquaculture.

For his part, José Antonio Hidalgo, vice president of the Cordex board, said that they require actions at all levels of the state. “I think the message from the citizens and the manufacturing sector is about the non-reaction we have…” he said.

Merlyn Casanova, executive director of the Association of Cocoa Exporters of Ecuador (Anecacao), pointed out that the biggest concern of this union is small producers, since they make up 70 percent and are all in rural areas, where they are attacked, which therefore urgently requires real actions, not only current ones.

Cocoa exports fell 15% in the first two months of this year, with accumulated losses the sector quantifies at $25 million

While Rafael Trujillo, executive director of the National Chamber of Fisheries, commented that fishermen near the coast are the most affected, as they suffer daily attacks. He sent an invitation to the National Assembly and the Judicial Council (SC).

“An appeal to other state institutions, because we are all focused on the actions of the police and the army and the Government, but I want to make a special appeal to the National Assembly, aimed exclusively at the overthrow of the Government, and do not attend the main uproar of all citizens… What is the CJ waiting for to start sanctioning judges who the next day they let the gang leaders go,” Trujillo said.

Also present were Kléber Sigüenza, president of the Agricultural Chamber of the Second Zone; Enrique Baquerizo, Director General of the Association of Coastal Cattlemen; Leonidas Estrada, president of the Ecuadorian Banana Corporation; Esteban Sáenz, president of the Association of Cocoa Producers of Ecuador, who also supported the requests made by other members to the state.