At the United Nations (UN), the rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, announced that attacks and intimidation in Ecuador have become stronger against judicial officials by organized crime.

The complaint made in Geneva is not surprising in a country where violence affects all Ecuadorians. However, the rapporteur’s warning is alarming because it implies an impact on a function whose raison d’être is the fight against corruption and crime in all its forms.

The EFE news agency summarizes that from 2022 to now in 2023, four prosecutors were killed, several judicial officials were victims of intimidation and threats, and some judges even survived assassination attempts. This is not counting the repeated bomb threats against judicial facilities.

Who was the prosecutor Leonardo Palacios killed in Durán?

A state of emergency has been in effect in Ecuador since August 10. The decree was signed after the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. As of July 23, after the assassination of the mayor of Manta, Agustín Intriago, only one was in force for Manabí, Los Ríos and Durán.

As a result of the state of emergency decree, violent deaths fell between 26% and 70%, according to the regime.

The results of the state of emergency, unfortunately, are immediate if the security plans that the Government talked about, but whose contents are kept secret, are not implemented at the same time. There is no choice but to believe that they are ready and successful. It is understood that crime cannot be informed by being vigilant.

But Margaret Satterthwaite’s request to the authorities that all judges and prosecutors have protection, as well as to guarantee the safety of all citizens, is valid. Support must be provided so that criminals can be tried without pressure, threats or fear. (OR)