The violence in Ecuador, which translates into a mixture of murders, extortion, kidnappings, attacks and blackmail (vaccines), with messages transmitted via social media from groups accused of violence (including corridos and pamphlets threatening journalists, leaders and the population in as a whole), constitutes only one link of what organized crime encompasses.

A former captain, two businessmen, a fisherman, a concert organizer and a gang member are among the ‘founders’ of the drug trade in Ecuador

For nearly three decades, the country’s public debate on transnational crime has focused specifically on drug trafficking. There are many reasons. Let’s quickly mention a few: we are geographically located between Colombia and Peru, the two world producers of cocaine; a dollarized country, which makes it more attractive for money laundering; with little social development and opportunities, which makes it possible to attract those interested in participating in illegal activities as an alternative; weak institutions, very easily corrupt officials at different levels, including public forces; impunity, given that the judiciary is not efficient in its work; a strong populist trajectory, which helps to ensure that promises are not honored or fulfilled to keep his sympathizers trapped, especially in areas where there is no state presence… And we could complete this entire article with reasons.

The role of the police, military and prisons in the fight against organized crime in Ecuador: an InSight Crime analysis

However, the complexity of other activities that are part of organized crime is greater and equal or stronger than drug trafficking. To activities such as human trafficking (including minors), which in some cases are intended for illegal trade in organs, in others for prostitution, and in some cases for labor exploitation, we must add trade in wild species (animals, logging), arms trade and illegal mining. And that also exists in Ecuador.

Drug gangs are recruiting young people from the countryside: a diagnosis of the situation in the countryside that will be succeeded by the new president of the Republic

The case of the Cano children – related to the film The Sound of Freedom – shows not only human cruelty, the helplessness in which the most vulnerable find themselves, who must always be protected. Their relatives subjected them to that torture, denigrated them in their human condition, marked them in their souls for life, for a few dollars. Hunger, ignorance, poverty, irresponsibility are very bad advisors, and the consequences are yet to be seen.

According to the latest UNODC report, victims of human trafficking are women (42%), men (23%), girls (18%) and boys (17%), and almost the same numbers are among those who have been exposed to forced labor and sexual exploitation. : 38.8% and 38.7% respectively. And in the last five years, detection of victims of trafficking for the purpose of mixed exploitation (10.3%) and for criminal purposes (10.2%) has increased. The US State Department estimates that there are 27.6 million victims of this crime in the world.

In monetary terms, in 2016 it was determined that this business was around 32 billion dollars; Of this, 1.3 billion was generated in Latin America, according to UN.GIFT (UN Against Human Trafficking).

In the next section, we will talk about other crimes that are part of transnational crime that are also committed in the country. (OR)