Ecuador is currently experiencing an unparalleled wave of violence. Some 1,300 murders were recorded in the first 50 days of 2025 — that is one murder per hour, and reflects an increase of 40% since 2023.

According to the most recent report by the US think tank InSight Crime, Ecuador is "one of the region’s most significant drug trafficking hubs." The country, with a population of 18 million, is used to smuggle Colombian and Peruvian cocaine to Europe, Mexico and Central America. The speed with which drug cartels have gained power in Ecuador is unprecedented.

In an interview with the British broadcaster BBC, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa asked the international community for military support. He said he could imagine working with the US, European and Brazilian armies to combat crime in Ecuador.

He also said that he wanted his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to classify Ecuadorian gangs as terrorist groups, as Trump has already done for some Mexican and Venezuelan........

© Deutsche Welle