Esmeraldas is one of the provinces with the highest poverty rate at the national level, and as an example, according to INEC reports, the province currently maintains a poverty rate by income of 52.9%, in which household expenses with the value of the minimum poverty basket, while the same the rate at the national level is 28.8% on average. This, in short and with an a priori interpretation, implies that the poor in Esmeraldas are almost twice as poor as anywhere else in the country. We could mention that being twice as poor doesn’t have half the opportunities that the average Ecuadorian would have, but I daresay that reality is even harsher than the statistics show.

Two schoolgirls returning from class were shot in the Esmeraldas district

To mention another example, regarding extreme poverty according to INEC, 25.3% of Esmeralda survives in extreme poverty, while the national average is around 10%. If we talk about the unemployment rate, the province finished in first place in 2022 with 9.1%, even much higher than Pichincha; Guayas and other towns, which feed economically from the oil activities of companies such as Flopec, the State Refinery of Esmeraldas, among others. It should be noted that the spill remains in Esmeraldas.

A very specific phenomenon is happening today which, along with violence, will deepen this severe social and economic crisis, with the direct consequence of increasing extreme poverty, underemployment and inappropriate employment. Universities in the province offered technical careers such as mechanics, electrical, systems, computer science and some administrative occupations such as accounting, business administration, among others. These careers were designed to allow future professionals to study at night, morning and afternoon, taking advantage of the sunlight, so that they could work in a variety of activities that helped them earn a living at home and thus pay for their academic expenses. The races took place exactly from 18:00 to 22:00, which allowed students to join the working hours from 08:00 to 17:00.

Senescyt and other state institutions should regulate and publish reports on this case (in Esmeraldas)…

In order to preserve safety and life, Esmeralda universities are forced to conduct their activities from 13:00 to 17:00. In other words, night hours are abolished, and thus the possibility of students working. This implies a heavy blow to the economy of more than 400 families who go through this event. But it also has a very serious consequence, which is dropping out of college, that is, young people no longer prepare themselves academically in order to provide themselves with a more prosperous future.

Floating dock, festivals and gastronomy, novelties that Esmeraldas offers for these holidays

Senescyt and other state institutions should regulate and publish reports on this case, which today is specific to Esmeraldas, but which will spread in a short time to territories such as Guayaquil, Manabí, Quevedo and other cities and provinces in the country. How will it affect the economy of cities in crisis? What will the education and security authorities do to avoid this phenomenon? (OR)