How do citizens cope with the fear that is a consequence of the increase in insecurity in a large part of the country? That was the question that led the conversation of the eight people we met, a little over 15 days ago, in the pre-boarding zone in Guayaquil. I told you the first four stories in the last column, today I will tell the last three and one more during my stay in that city. Here they are:

1. On the streets of Carapunga, running between dealers is in broad daylight. Some carry sharp weapons, which they let them see without the slightest objection. Previously, such matters were dealt with in the dark. At bus stops, people look the other way. Sometimes they don’t even comment on what’s going on, they just hug their stuff. Silence fell upon them.

the agony of the capital

2. Quevedo is a city that is divided between several criminal groups. People know that there are Lobos and Choneros, as well as others, who have drawn boundaries that must not be crossed, because the consequences would be dire. People are hostages, many prefer not to leave their homes after 18:00 or earlier. The hum of the engine, the crowd you hear after that hour, it’s none of your business. They turn up the TV or radio and are silent.

Is social academic?

3. In Tulcán, the request made by some of the residents of Maldonado, a parish very close to Colombia, is the talk of many. Due to bad weather, the detachment was affected and had to be temporarily located in another place, within the same parish. However, some parishioners requested that they be removed from that area. In Maldonado and El Chical, stories are told that drug production in Colombia has grown to the level of these two cities and they are more afraid than before. They know the risks to their families and the many old drug-trafficking roads that connect the two countries.

The CNE authorities condemn the murder of the candidate for the assembly in Esmeraldas

Side story: I couldn’t help but notice how in some malls in Guayaquil, the security guards at the entrance control put mirrors under the vehicles to check that they don’t have explosives. It also does not go unnoticed that the guards wear all the equipment that can protect them. In some restaurants, the entrance is controlled by up to three people. Some are quite stocky and take it upon themselves to close the door immediately. Plants are also allowed to grow around the lattices of the houses, obscuring the views of the curious. No one travels with the windows open and the doors unlocked anymore. In taxis, they constantly check where they are and where they are going…

These stories, which show how we deal with fear, leave several warnings. It is very important that we cannot allow ourselves to be cornered in what we consider our safe spaces. The joint work of the police, state and local authorities, local owners, neighborhood residents and passers-by is the basis for retaking the city and its spaces that are ours. (OR)