The violence is spilling over into Esmeraldas. The province bordering Colombia has become in these first 70 days of the year the second with the most crimes in the country, after Guayas.
Not even a greater presence of soldiers and police in the streets, ordered weeks ago by the Government, has managed to stop this wave of violent deaths.
Of the 18 violent deaths that Esmeraldas registered from January 1 to March 11 of last year, the province has gone on to have 84 crimes in the same compared period of this 2022. That implies that more than one death is reported almost daily.
Six criminal gangs operate in neighborhoods on the banks of the Esmeraldas River and in the western and southern areas of the city
This week alone, seven selective violent deaths were reported in Esmeraldas. One of these crimes was the prison guide Leonardo Rentería, inside a vehicle near a corner house in the Juan Pablo II neighborhood, Familias Unidas sector, on Tuesday the 8th.
Such is the level of insecurity that police and military servers who were on rest were called on Thursday night to reinforce patrols to prevent incidents.
The violent deaths that are taking place are, in part, hit-and-run: men on motorcycles shooting at their victims.
The recent hired assassins were reported in the sectors of Valle de San Rafael and the neighborhoods of El Arenal and 20 de Noviembre, an urban area of the capital of Esmeralda.
Police chiefs of Subzone 8 of Esmeraldas have requested an urgent meeting with Governor Tania Obando and other authorities to apply new strategies due to violent crimes in the province.
It is sought that the Municipality apply the current ordinance that regulates that a single person mobilizes on motorcycles, and that the Armed Forces collaborate with patrols in the areas considered to have the highest incidence, that justice operators sanction people in flagrante delicto and improvements to the police fleet.
Santiago Villalba, an investigation officer who participated with Criminalistics and the Dinased in the removal of the bodies this week, indicated that 95% of these selective deaths in Esmeraldas are committed by people on motorcycles.
A decapitated man was found on the Esmeraldas-Tachina road; level of insecurity motivated protest of inhabitants
Governor Tania Obando said that the needs for personnel, motorcycles and patrol cars have been sent to the police districts of Subzone 8 of Esmeraldas.
But the situation does not only have to do with common crimes. Incidents with authorities have been reported in the province. Threats and attacks have been registered against Javier Ortiz, assemblyman for Esmeraldas of the PSC; the home of the mayor of Muisne, Tayron Quintero, and rural councilor Miguel Ruiz Quintero. A bodyguard of rector Girard Vernaza was wounded inside a dining room at the Luis Vargas Torres Technical University on Monday.
Residents of sectors also speak of robberies affecting the population, as well as extortion of businesses. Motorcycle criminals, for example, this week stole a laptop from a female student on campus.
The fear of robberies and assaults has caused the population to take precautions and avoid carrying out activities at certain times and areas. Cyclists and walkers who play sports on Las Palmas beach have suspended their activities due to robberies, reported Jhonatan Farías, a cyclist in the area. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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