Violence crisis in Ecuador hits tourism, but exports resist

The images of the assault on Tuesday at a television station in Ecuadorwhich went around the world, and the subsequent declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in the country have caused the tourism union to see “many canceled reservations” from international tourists, in a blow that they fear will be even worse than the pandemic , but instead the exports They resist and do not stop.

”We are affected, there have truly been many cancellations. The image of Ecuador abroad is very bad,” Raúl García, president of the Pichincha Chamber of Tourismthe province whose capital is Quito, who wanted to highlight that, despite everything, the main tourist places in Ecuador They work normally.

After the wave of violent events attributed to the organized crimeamong which there were explosions and car fires, kidnapping and murder of police officers, prison riots with hostages and the aforementioned takeover of the television medium, the country continues to function.

Despite some canceled flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, airports are fully operational with reinforced security measures, while transportation continues to operate but with few passengers, especially in interprovincial trips.

And in the streets, with police and military patrols in some sectors, the Influx of people It is slowly recovering, although there are still some emblematic places closed such as the Plaza Grande, the heart of the old town of Quito, declared a world heritage site in 1978, and areas of the boardwalk. Guayaquil.

A recovery that will be long

García regrets that the shocking images of insecurity and violence that have put Ecuador in the world’s sights affect the image of the entire country, as it reiterates that these scenes are not occurring in the preferred areas of tourists who come to the country, such as the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon.

For the union president of the Pichincha tourism industry, these moments of terror can be more harmful to the tourism sector than even the crisis suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It will be more difficult than the pandemic to restore trust again.” to the markets so that they can resume sending their passengers or their guests to the Ecuador”García noted.

There are several countries that have issued warnings to their citizens to take extreme security and precautionary measures during their stay in the country and to make only necessary trips.

”I invite you to come, because the private tourism sector and the authorities have worked for well-being and we do not want anyone to have any inconvenience, so we will be waiting for everyone,” said García, for whom the declaration of the “armed conflict internal” can even provide greater security.

”Nor did the above offer possibilities for tourism to continue developing calmly,” admitted the union president about the dizzying rise of Ecuador on the list of the most violent countries in the world, faced with a rise in homicides attributed to organized crime gangs, mainly dedicated to drug trafficking.

Exporters feel more protected

On the other hand, exports, another of the key sectors for the arrival of foreign currency to Ecuadorhas not been resented by this crisis of violence and regularly maintains all its operations, reinforcing all its security protocols and standards to move around 32,500 tons of cargo per day to 160 markets worldwide.

This was indicated to EFE by the president of the Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor)Felipe Ribadeneira, who commented that the declaration of the “internal armed conflict” by Noboa is “a brave and tough decision” that has made the export sector feel even more protected.

“Now we have a military presence in the streets, on the port roads, and it was something that we had already requested before,” said Ribadeneira, whose union is one of the most affected by drug trafficking mafias.

Fedexpor estimates that, during 2023, exporting companies have invested close to a million dollars daily in devices, certifications, private security, technology and training to improve the security of the logistics chain and reduce the risk of crime and contamination of cargo with drugs in containers that go mainly to Europe.

“We continue producing even with a very strong feeling of patriotism and nationalism because this ‘shake-up’ was needed,” commented Ribadeneira, who hoped that the Government would manage to reduce these gangs and encapsulate them with international support, because “it is a global problem that Ecuador does not can face alone.”