In universities, a protection code could be applied to reduce insecurity in the face of attacks against teachers and students

A protection code could be an alternative to acts of violence registered in higher education institutions.

Segundo Castillo Cabeza, 52, was shot to death during a criminal attack that occurred on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 18. He was dean of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences of the Luis Vargas Torres de Esmeraldas University.

They shot dead Segundo Castillo Cabeza, dean of the Luis Vargas Torres de Esmeraldas University

María Gema Moreira was assassinated -on January 20- inside the State University of Milagro (Unemi). There she was studying her higher education at the institution.

In addition, a university professor had left Milagro for Durán and upon returning to the first town he was approached by armed persons and taken against his will to an area of ​​the road that goes to Yaguachi. He was released by police personnel from the Anti-Kidnapping and Extortion Unit (Unase).

Arturo Rojas, rector of the Bolívar State University, and president of the Assembly of the Ecuadorian Higher Education System, indicated that the country is practically experiencing a wave of violence and insecurity that is affecting all strata of society.

He maintained that a meeting with the Minister of the Interior, Juan Zapata, is planned to see what measures can be applied regarding the security of university campuses.

He added that it is also expected that surveillance cameras with the ECU911 can be installed in university environments.

They release a university professor who had been kidnapped on the Durán-Yaguachi highway

He recalled that several public universities are open, there is access for many people and not all of them can be controlled.

“The cameras, at least, would help to identify some of the events that may arise,” he said.

Regarding whether police personnel could be assigned to the universities, he replied that, from what he knows, it would not supply to cover all the demand that would be required not only in higher education institutions, but in other entities.

He is in favor of coordination so that people can be prepared to apply security measures in their personal and daily care.

Rojas mentioned that the universities have an internal guardianship system, but -he added- that it is not possible to have total control, unless the properties are closed and there are entrance controls.

In five health points in Guayaquil considered at risk, the Silver Code will be activated to prevent attacks

With this, only students, teachers and administrative staff could enter through a registry without access to other people.

It should be remembered that the Government implements a protection code in situations of violence in some health homes.

The Silver Code in health centers is activated based on various validation processes for taking over facilities, attention to pre-hospital ambulance medical transport, people with gunshot wounds, stab wounds or confrontational events, extramural activities or self-referred patients who they enter on their own and meet risk criteria.

It was created to prevent armed attacks on health centers and units. It has priority in the establishments with the highest risk and will continue later to the places classified as less exposed to violent events.

Given these acts of violence, Rojas ruled out that there are only virtual classes, since he pointed out that there are careers that do not adapt, such as Medicine or technical engineering, that require face-to-face attendance.

The appointment with Minister Zapata would be next Tuesday. (YO)