Compared to fellow Latin American countries Colombia and Mexico, which have been destabilized for decades by violent drug gangs, Ecuador has been calm and peaceful. But last Tuesday's wave of terror showed how quickly things have changed.
Chaos erupts after a prison escape by a notorious drug lord. Masked men and boys disrupted live television broadcasts and pointed guns at journalists. Elsewhere, police and prison officers were taken hostage, explosions could be heard and violence spread.
In response, the country's President Daniel Novoa, 36, launched a tough crackdown, including raids on homes and violence against suspected members of drug gangs. Novoa, who came to power after the assassination of a political opponent, promised to take stock of the situation. But at what cost?
The Guardian's Latin America correspondent tom phillips,Tell you Nosheen Iqbal How the pandemic and demand for cocaine in Europe threw Ecuador into chaos. And he also sees dire consequences for Ecuadorians, with daily fear, violence and instability leading some to leave their homeland altogether.
Photo: Agencia Press South/Getty Images
