The murder of Fernando Villavicencio and the fact that seven of the killers – one killed – were Colombian, focused the international community’s attention on Ecuador, in the context of the presence of Colombian and, to a lesser extent, Mexican drug traffickers who bring their violence to the country.

Oilprice.com, which recently epitomized the “Ecuadorian oil empire” because of the multiple scourges facing the industry, reported on Wednesday that the persistent opposition in the Assembly that culminated in the death cross “combined with a troubled oil industry, of critical economic importance , plunged Ecuador into yet another political crisis, making it virtually impossible for the country to deal with escalating cocaine-fueled violence.

He New York Times (NYT) Thursday emphasizes that during the correato, cooperation with the US in the fight against drug trafficking was terminated, and FARC dissidents were displaced to Ecuador: “National and foreign groups have taken advantage of a country whose capacity to fight drug trafficking has been reduced by cuts to the police and military , a weak judiciary and a penal system largely run by gangs”. At the same time, the NYT publishes an article by political scientist Will Freeman, who blames the government of Lenín Moreno for prioritizing deficit reduction and cutting the police budget.

Fitch, whose audience is bondholders, on Wednesday downgraded Ecuador to a very low CCC+ rating because it believes Ecuador will not continue to improve its public finances: a radically different perspective from Freeman’s. Fitch concludes: “regardless of the outcome of the upcoming general election, Fitch does not foresee significant progress in addressing fiscal and financial challenges in the remaining 18 months of the president’s term.”

Investment bank Morgan Stanley warns its clients on Wednesday that there are five factors that point to a worsening situation in Ecuador: 1) the Yasuní oil consultation, which would accelerate the deterioration of oil revenues; 2) spending programs announced by the presidential candidates; 3) proposal of individual candidates to take cash reserves; 4) potential deterioration of relations with the USA, which could affect multilateral financing, and 5) possible negative implications of the El Niño phenomenon.

Ecuador’s image has suffered an enormous deterioration, and although it is emphasized that this is a problem that comes from outside, the inability of society to face the crisis and the immaturity of the political class to agree on a strategy are highlighted. serious problem. Because there is a gradual infiltration of the drug trade into the country, starting from the judiciary, where judges’ verdicts on the release of criminals are already routine, continuing with the Assembly, where known heads of criminal groups were already present, and culminating in the executive branch.

Let us hope that in this election we will elect a president who is ready to face this scourge and that other numerous legislative blocs are ready to help in this task of saving the country from this worst moment. (OR)