Blog on the Latin American Security Landscape: Noboa’s Internal Armed Conflict in Ecuador

Over the past few months, the headlines about criminal violence in Latin America have been dominated by an unusual suspect, Ecuador. This nation has long been considered a haven of stability and peace in the middle of the world’s most violent region. However, it saw unparalleled increases in violence in recent years, becoming the country with the highest level of lethal violence in Latin America. The takeover of a local television station by members of a criminal group in January 2024 gave further visibility to Ecuador’s deep security crisis.

In a blog entry, Viviana García Pinzón und José Salguero examine the factors behind Ecuador’s security crisis, highlighting the negative impact of a series of justice and security reforms implemented between 2017 and 2022. They argue that the level of violence affecting the country is not exclusively caused by changes in illicit markets and organized crime but, crucially, by a weakened and fragmented state apparatus. Moreover, the seemingly unlimited political gains from a prolonged suspension of constitutional rights might make unending ‘regimes of exception’ an alluring prospect for a new wave of Latin American autocratic rulers.

The blog entry can be read on the website Urban Violence.