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A complex social environment with low schooling and unemployment would be the main factors for more young people to be recruited by criminal gangs in Esmeraldas. These elements, in addition, add to the incidents of the irregular armed groups of Colombia, which have interference in the northern border.
The Subzone 8 National Police has this assessment based on recently recorded incidents, such as violent deaths, robbery of people and commercial establishments, threats with detonated explosives, disputes over territory for micro-trafficking and the use of firearms. military type.
A decapitated man was found on the Esmeraldas-Tachina road; level of insecurity motivated protest of inhabitants
“They are young people between 15 and 21 years old involved in committing crimes for payment of money or forced to be part of these criminal organizations,” said Javier Buitrón, police commander, who pointed out that these details were revealed by four young people apprehended for an alleged death. selective the week before.
It is estimated that six criminal organizations operate in neighborhoods on the banks of the Esmeraldas River and in the western and southern areas of the city.
In Esmeraldas, according to Police data, crime figures exceed those of previous years. For example, between January and March 2, 2022, some 66 murders due to criminal violence have been registered in the province. Of this figure, at least 14 were registered during the last carnival holiday. In 2020, there were 70 crimes with similar characteristics.
Among the latest crimes recorded a few weeks ago is that of the body of the man who had his head severed and another with a cut on his neck. One of the characteristics of these crimes is that the deceased were people with legal proceedings. For this reason, according to the Judicial Police, it would be revenge killings.
Two brothers were murdered in the Mataje area, in San Lorenzo, on the border with Colombia
For the sociologist Tomás Realpe, this type of execution is mainly to warn or instill fear from a criminal group to their adversaries or relatives. Other reasons would also be due to the rivalry of groups related to drug trafficking.
Another fact to consider is that in the first two months of the year, 317 detainees were reported for various crimes. Of these, 36 were for possession and illegal carrying of firearms. The figure is higher considering that 262 arrests for the same causes occurred in all of 2021.
In addition, 100 tickets with arrests were issued in the province, 108 confiscated firearms and 350 seized white weapons, 200 recovered vehicles and almost a ton of seized drugs of all kinds. There are also other current threats, such as extortion under pressure from owners of commercial establishments and robbery by subjects on motorcycles.
José Maffare, a social activist, says that these events are due to two factors. The first is non-compliance and corruption on the part of certain authorities. While the second factor is attributed to the lack of opportunities for young people.
The reintegration of children and adolescents
Commander Buitrón prepares a reintegration plan for children and youth of Esmeraldas with educational, cultural, recreational and sports activities. The actions that he aspires to apply would be outside class hours and aimed at marginal urban neighborhoods.
This program invites the participation of the Municipality, Prefecture of Esmeraldas, universities, Ministry of Education and Inclusion, Sports Federation and businessmen.
Residents of the Chaflú precinct closed a section of the Esmeraldas-Quinindé road; they ask for road repair and that security be reinforced
Buitrón also calls on justice operators not to release those detained in flagrante delicto. “Some of those apprehended by police units are back on the streets committing crimes,” he says.
In the recent concert for “La Paz de Esmeraldas” and the entrepreneurship fair of the Ministry of Inclusion, several young people requested access to education, credits for small businesses, productive development and employment alternatives.
More marches to demand attention from authorities
The demand for action by local authorities and the national government has led residents and merchants of Esmeraldas to march through the streets of San Lorenzo, Esmeraldas, Atacames and Tonsupa in search of solutions to the wave of insecurity they are experiencing.
Four of these protests, plus the request for works, were carried out with road closures in La Y de Las Peñas, Timbiré, Tachina and Chigüe, in the last two weeks of February. The robbery of commercial establishments and restaurants has forced these alternative actions to be taken, said Verónica Rezabala, owner of a restaurant.
To support security in the border province, since January, more than 100 police officers from the UMO unit were assigned by the Minister of Government, Alexandra Vela. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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