The International Law Review Association: Online Forum
Abstract
A state of emergency in Ecuador continues to be in effect as cocaine trafficking and gang violence become increasingly problematic. What started as cartel rivalries and increased cocaine production in bordering countries, Peru and Colombia, has turned into a full-scale drug war in Ecuador, stirring humanitarian and governmental concerns about the mounting violence in the once peaceful country. Increased regulation and United States intervention might be the only approach to save Ecuador from becoming a country ravaged by violence and run by the cartels, but local governmental corruption is currently acting as a barrier to a timely solution. While quick reaction from Ecuador’s newly elected president, Daniel Naboa, has resulted in increased military and police violence against the cartels, some U.S. military officials are warning against a strict crackdown. Fighting the cartels in a way that circumvents the law could lead to even worse retaliation and decreased security, escalating the conflict while putting civilians at risk. To avoid a civil war, the systemic corruption and infiltration of state institutions must be addressed, and there must be a recognition that Ecuador cannot handle this issue on its own. Though Ecuador’s capital, Guayaquil, now serves as the epicenter for cocaine trafficking in Latin America, the ongoing distribution continues to affect countless countries. International intervention must be seriously considered as a solution to prevent a worldwide cocaine crisis.
Recommended Citation
Ella Sicking,
Case Note,
Cocaine and Corruption: The Rise in Drug Trafficking in Ecuador and Why It Isn’t Being Stopped,
ILRA Student Forum
(2023)
