Ecuador's presidential hopefuls face toxic brew of crime, unemployment
Cartel violence is hollowing out Ecuador's largest city Guayaquil, scaring away tourists, pummelling the economy and leaving whoever wins Sunday's presidential election with a gargantuan problem.
In picturesque and once-bustling Seminary Park, these days iguanas almost outnumber visitors.
"In the afternoon it feels like a cemetery," said Juan Carlos Pesantes who has sold sweets and drinks from a park-side kiosk for 16 years.
"There are no tourists left."
Pesantes has watched as several businesses, including a once popular hotel, close down around him.
In three years, his income has halved and Guayaquil has been transformed from the beating heart of Ecuador's economy into one of the most violent cities in Latin America.
Some months, the country averages more than one murder an hour.
The park is now locked by 18:00 instead of 22:00, just in case any visitors are tempted to hang around after dark.
Against this grim backdrop, the economy fell into recession late last year.
But insecurity is not the only issue ailing Ecuador's economy.
Either incumbent president Daniel Noboa or his leftist rival Luisa Gonzalez will have to reckon with deep social inequality, unemployment, an energy crisis, low rates of investment, groaning public finances and low oil revenues.
Pesantes is "undecided" about which one of the two neck-and-neck rivals to vote for.
"There is no confidence" in them, he said.
- Going out is risky -
Ecuador's woes stem from a boom in Colombian cocaine production and the attractiveness of its ports for shipping the drug to lucrative markets in Asia, Europe and the United States.
The bloodshed has increased as a multitude of gangs, cartels and mafias vie to control routes.
The surge in gang activity has had a direct impact on normal economic activity.
Violence is "affecting consumption. The population has fewer possibilities to go out on the street, to a restaurant, to make a purchase, it's risky," said Alberto Acosta Burneo, an economic analyst at the Spurrier group.
In a poor neighborhood of Guayaquil, Paola Valdivieso, a 54-year-old salon worker, talks about the "fear, the dread" she feels when she has to walk "looking in all directions."
Bananas, one of Ecuador's main export products -- along with oil, cocoa, shrimp, and flowers -- also suffer from organized crime.
"We are victims of drug trafficking," Richard Salazar, director of a banana growers' association tells AFP.
"We are victims of crime and organized crime with extortions," and despite checks, drug traffickers use large shipments of fruit to move cocaine, he explained.
In a depressed economy, unemployment and underemployment affect almost a quarter of the population and one in three are poor, according to official figures.
There is "a lot of informality" in employment, with poorly paid and precarious jobs, Acosta Burneo said.
Septuagenarian retiree Gerardo Ortiz explained he can just about "subsist" on his $280 a month pension as he jokingly pointed to his "car" -- in reality a rusty bicycle leaning against a tree.
With cash tight and security poor, foreign investors that once flocked to dollarized Ecuador have stayed away.
The lack of investment "is reflected in an economy that does not grow as it should," according to Acosta Burneo.
In 2023 and 2024, a lack of investment in the power sector and a serious drought caused power outages that lasted up to 14 hours a day.
- No easy answers -
In response to this multi-headed economic crisis, the presidential candidates propose very different solutions.
"Gonzalez's plan is to bring a return of the strategic state" through infrastructure development and investments in public services, according to Christophe Ventura, a Latin America specialist at France's Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS).
The leftist candidate advocates for a tax system that imposes a higher burden on the private sector and plans to reduce value-added tax, which Noboa increased from 12 percent to 15 percent.
Noboa has backed tough security measures and traditional neoliberal economic policies -- negotiating a trade agreement with Canada to boost extractive industries.
esp-arb/tgb
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
4 hours ago
- Miami Herald
U.N. sounds alarm over worsening human rights crisis in Venezuela
Civil and political freedoms in Venezuela have sharply deteriorated over the past year, according to the United Nations' top human rights official, who cited a wave of arbitrary arrests, disappearances and alleged torture amid growing political unrest. In a presentation before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said Friday that the Venezuelan government has intensified its crackdown on dissent, using vague anti-terrorism laws to detain opposition figures, activists and foreign nationals ahead of the country's contentious 2024 elections. Türk also criticized the United States, expressing concern over the deportation of Venezuelans back to what he described as unsafe conditions. 'I repeat my call on the U.S. government to ensure compliance with due process … and to stop the removal of any person to any country where there is a risk of irreparable harm,' he said. Deportation flights resumed this year as part of U.S. efforts to curb irregular migration. Rights groups warn that many deportees face retaliation or mistreatment upon return to Venezuela. Türk's report details at least 70 politically motivated arrests in the lead-up to recent regional and parliamentary elections, including 17 foreign nationals. Following the vote, authorities announced the dismantling of a so-called terrorist network allegedly tied to humanitarian and rights organizations — claims Türk dismissed as a misuse of counterterrorism legislation. The U.N. rights chief called for the 'immediate and unconditional' release of all individuals arbitrarily detained, naming several high-profile human rights defenders, including Rocío San Miguel, Javier Tarazona, Carlos Julio Rojas and Eduardo Torres. According to the report, some detainees have disappeared without a trace, while others face legal proceedings without basic safeguards. At least 28 enforced disappearances were documented after Venezuela's July 2024 presidential election, including 12 foreign nationals who were reportedly denied access to consular support. Since the election, more than 2,000 people have been arrested, including minors. Dozens of political opponents and protesters have been killed or have vanished. Victims include not only Venezuelan citizens but also foreign nationals, such as Colombian aid worker Manuel Tique and French-American tourist Lucas Hunter, both missing since late 2024. The humanitarian crisis is compounded by Venezuela's crumbling infrastructure. Power outages and water shortages are frequent, and inflation has made basic goods inaccessible to much of the population. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, more than five million Venezuelans are facing hunger. Preventable diseases like malaria and measles are spreading amid a collapsed healthcare system. Public services have disintegrated, and violent crime — including kidnappings, armed robberies, and extortion — is widespread. 'My office documented 32 cases of torture and ill-treatment in detention,' Türk said, noting that nearly half involved minors. Inmates were allegedly held incommunicado and denied medical care, food and water — particularly after protesting prison conditions. Türk also warned of increasing restrictions on civil society. A law passed in November regulating non-governmental organizations has made it nearly impossible for many advocacy groups to operate. Organizations now face unlawful registration demands, arbitrary fees and administrative barriers not clearly defined in the legislation. Several non-governmental organizations 'have felt compelled to end their operations in Venezuela because of legal obstacles,' he said. His report describes an atmosphere of fear that disproportionately affects women, marginalized communities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Women remain underrepresented in public life, and victims of gender-based violence continue to face systemic barriers to justice. Abortion remains criminalized in all cases, including rape and incest. LGBTQ+ individuals, Türk added, often face abuse while in custody, and many hate crimes go unprosecuted. While focused largely on political rights, the U.N. report also highlights Venezuela's deepening economic collapse. With inflation worsening, the monthly minimum wage remains at just 130 bolívares — less than $1 — which has remained unchanged since March 2022. That's barely enough to buy half a carton of eggs, according to the report. Public services have all but collapsed. School attendance plummeted in 2024 amid widespread teacher shortages and class suspensions. Hospitals are chronically under-resourced, with 91% of patients surveyed between January and July asked to bring their own supplies for surgery. 'The authorities' ability to fund essential public services is severely limited,' Türk said. He urged Venezuelan authorities to end enforced disappearances and incommunicado detentions, to provide consular access to foreign detainees, and to repeal laws restricting civic and political participation. Türk said he remains open to reengagement with the Maduro government — but only if U.N. human rights staff are granted full access to the country, a condition Caracas has resisted in recent years. 'I believe in engagement, and I am committed to it,' he said. 'But I do hope the authorities will fulfill the necessary conditions to ensure the full return of all my staff and the implementation of our mandate.'
New York Post
6 hours ago
- New York Post
Iranian crowds chant ‘Death to America, Israel' during funeral for top commanders, scientists killed in Israeli strikes
Thousands of mourners lined the streets of downtown Tehran on Saturday for the funeral of the head of the Revolutionary Guard and other top commanders and nuclear scientists killed during a 12-day war with Israel. The caskets of Guard's chief Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard's ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh and others were driven on trucks along the capital's Azadi Street as people in the crowds chanted: 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel.' Salami and Hajizadeh were both killed on the first day of the war, June 13, as Israel launched a war it said meant to destroy Iran's nuclear program, specifically targeting military commanders, scientists and nuclear facilities. 8 Thousands of Iranians gather in the streets of Tehran to mourn the deaths of several Iranian armed forces generals and nuclear scientists killed in Israeli airstrikes during the '12-day War' on June 28, 2025. AP There was no immediate sign of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the state broadcast of the funeral. Khamenei, who has not made a public appearance since before the outbreak of the war, has in past funerals held prayers for fallen commanders over their caskets before the open ceremonies, later aired on state television. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was on hand, and state television reported that Gen. Esmail Qaani, who heads the foreign wing of the Revolutionary Guard, the Quds Force, and Gen. Ali Shamkhani were also among the mourners. Shamkhani, an adviser to Khamenei who was wounded in the first round of Israel's attack and hospitalized, was shown in a civilian suit leaning on a cane in an image distributed on state television's Telegram channel. Iran's Revolutionary Guard was created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution. 8 A truck carries the coffins of dead Iranian Revolutionary Guards commanders and other military officials. AFP via Getty Images 8 A truck carries the coffins during the funeral processions through the crowded streets of Tehran. AFP via Getty Images Since it was established, it has evolved from a paramilitary, domestic security force to a transnational force that has come to the aid of Tehran's allies in the Middle East, from Syria and Lebanon to Iraq. It operates in parallel to the country's existing armed forces and controls Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles, which it has used to attack Israel twice during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Over 12 days before a ceasefire was declared on Tuesday, Israel claimed it killed around 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, while hitting eight nuclear-related facilities and more than 720 military infrastructure sites. More than 1,000 people were killed, including at least 417 civilians, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group. 8 An Iranian holds up a poster of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the late Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini during the state funeral on June 28, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 8 Mourners wave flags during the funeral procession. AFP via Getty Images Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted, but those that got through caused damage in many areas and killed 28 people. Saturday's ceremonies were the first public funerals for top commanders since the cease-fire, and Iranian state television reported that they were for 60 people in total, including four women and four children. Authorities closed government offices to allow public servants to attend the ceremonies. 8 A mourner holds a picture of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who was killed by Israeli airstrikes. AP 8 Armed guards positioned on the rooftops overlooking the funeral procession in Tehran, Iran on June 28, 2025. via REUTERS Iran has always insisted its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. But Israel views it as an existential threat and said its military campaign was necessary to prevent Iran from building an atomic weapon. Khamenei's last public appearance was June 11, two days before hostilities with Israel broke out, when he met with Iranian parliamentarians. On Thursday, however, he released a pre-recorded video, in his first message since the end of the war, filled with warnings and threats directed toward the United States and Israel, the Islamic Republic's longtime adversaries. 8 Flowers are placed on the flag-draped coffin of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander Hossein Salami. AFP via Getty Images The 86-year-old downplayed US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites as having not achieved 'anything significant' and claimed victory over Israel. The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency, Rafael Grossi, has characterized the damage done by American bunker-buster bombs to Iran's Fordo nuclear site, which was built into a mountain, as 'very, very, very considerable.'
New York Post
9 hours ago
- New York Post
Clark Olofsson, notorious criminal who inspired the term ‘Stockholm syndrome,' dead at 78
Clark Olofsson, the captivating bank robber who inspired the term 'Stockholm syndrome,' has died at the age of 78, his family announced. Olofsson, who became a legend in the Nordic country for multiple prison breaks, gun-toting bank robberies, and larger-than-life charm, died at Arvika Hospital, in Holm, on Tuesday following a lengthy illness, Dagens ETC reported. The Swede became a headline item in 1973 when he and former cellmate Jan-Erik Olsson held-up the Kreditbanken Bank in Stockholm in what was the first-ever live crime broadcast in Sweden. Advertisement 3 Clark Olofsson appears at a book signing in the fall of 1991. TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images Olofsson and his mate were so entrancing over the course of the multi-day standoff that the bank employees being held hostage began to express more trust and concern for their captors than the police officers attempting to save them. This affection grew despite the two criminals threatening to kill the hostages on several occasions and holding them against their will for five days. Advertisement Towards the end of the nationally televised crisis, cops directed the hostages to leave the bank before Olofsson and his partner in crime, prompting protests from the hostages. 'Jan and Clark go first — you'll gun them down if we do!' 23-year-old hostage Kristin Ehnmark exclaimed to Swedish cops. A police report even said that a semen stain was found on the carpet of the bank indicating that some sort of sexual interaction occurred during the five-day standoff. 3 Olofsson and his hostages Birgitta Lundblad, Sven Säfström and Elisabeth Oldgren inside the Stockholm bank on Aug. 23, 1973. TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Olofsson was convicted on robbery charges for what was called the 'Normalmstorg robbery' and inspired the term 'Stockholm syndrome' in the process — which is the psycho-social phenomenon of captives becoming emotionally attached, and sympathizing with, their captors. Two years later in 1975, Olofsson would escape from Norrkoping prison and went on to rob a bank in Copenhagen with a pistol in each hand, sail the Mediterranean with the stolen loot, and evade police for years when he finally returned to Denmark. 3 Olofsson was convicted on robbery charges for what was called the 'Normalmstorg robbery' and inspired the term 'Stockholm syndrome' in the process. TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images Then on March 24, 1976, he conducted what at that time was the largest bank robbery in Sweden's history, stealing 930,000 kronor from a bank in Gothenberg — but cops were able to arrest him that same night and he was eventually sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to Swedish sources. Advertisement Olofsson's criminal exploits would continue into the 21st century with the infamous marauder completing his last stint in prison in 2018, following a 2009 conviction on drug smuggling. His exploits during the Normalmstorg robbery, and its influence over pop-psychology, would go on to inspire a film 'Stockholm' (2019) starring Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace. Olofsson was also depicted in the 1977 Swedish film 'Clark,' for which the criminal has a writing credit.
