Quito, Ecuador – Ecuador’s fragile security has been rattled once again by a series of car bombings that took place in the capital city. Thankfully, no injuries were reported in the overnight explosions, but they serve as a stark reminder of the country’s ongoing security challenges.
The first bomb went off on Wednesday night in an area of Quito where an office of the country’s corrections system used to be located. Shortly after, the second bomb exploded outside the agency’s current location. Both incidents occurred just three weeks after the assassination of a presidential candidate in the same city, further unsettling Ecuadorians.
According to Ecuador’s National Police, the explosions are connected to recent inmate transfers that took place earlier this week. In recent years, the country’s corrections system, known as the National Service for Attention to Persons Deprived of Liberty, has struggled to maintain control over its large prisons. These facilities have become hotbeds of violence, with deadly riots and gang-related disputes prompting the need for inmate transfers.
Police investigators discovered gas cylinders, fuel, fuses, and blocks of dynamite among the debris at the bomb sites. The mayor of Quito, Pabel Muñoz, expressed his hope for a swift and strong response from the justice system, emphasizing that the city will not back down in its pursuit of peace, calm, and security for its citizens.
Authorities in Ecuador attribute the surge in violence over the past three years to a power vacuum created by the killing of Jorge Zambrano, also known as Rasquiña or JL, the leader of the local Los Choneros gang in 2020. Los Choneros and other similar groups linked to Mexican and Colombian cartels are engaged in a violent struggle for control over drug-trafficking routes and territories, including within the country’s detention facilities where over 400 inmates have died since 2021.
The country’s National Police reported a significant increase in violent deaths, with 3,568 cases in the first six months of this year compared to 2,042 during the same period in 2022. Last year, Ecuador recorded its highest number of violent deaths in history, reaching a staggering 4,600, double the total in 2021.
While the port city of Guayaquil has been the epicenter of violence, the coastal city of Esmeraldas is also considered one of the country’s most dangerous. In a recent incident, six government vehicles were set on fire in Esmeraldas, further highlighting the security challenges faced by Ecuador.
The situation calls for prompt and decisive action from Ecuadorian authorities to curb the escalating violence and protect the safety of its citizens. The government must address the power vacuum left in the wake of Jorge Zambrano’s killing and bolster security in detention facilities to prevent further loss of life. With the support of the justice system and local communities, Ecuador can work towards a safer and more secure future for its people.
