to the there was a time window. ok, then go with the clouds were enough to sustain life in the northern color. how he does it all year around, but that's changing. we spoke to 3 men in different parts of the i'll come down, go down to the bay face, drowned wild animal. and mind me right in the tungsten fight for survival risk in it all. what's one out just is exit also coming to gun violence, organized crime, the assassination of a presidential candidates his shots, the less of the american countries, the government claims the drug, cartels for the increase in violence, but what's being done to stop it. this is inside story, the

color. welcome to the program. i'm adrian said again a presidential contender assassinated in broad daylight. fernando via vincent seal is the 3rd electrical candidate to be killed in ecuador. in a matter of weeks before the investigative journalist campaigned on empty corruption, platform accusing government officials of having links to organized crime. ecuador struggling with rise in gainesville, having some drug trafficking. the president has declared a state of emergency and deployed the army, but will it be enough? have criminal groups taking control of politics and what's the shooting a message for other politicians? we'll discuss all of this with our guest in just a moment, but 1st a report from mazda zeros katia lopez. hold on. this is the number of the sense you're speaking out against organized crime. in ecuador

moments later, the 59 year old presidential candidate was shot and killed widespread outreach, followed along with the mans, purchased this illusion meant the isn't that been uh no, the candidates and the government must make this a priority, and i still can't believe it. and i can't accept it too. i mean, think of it, like many candidates, if you have the sense you had promised a 5 corruption. but unlike his rivals, he publicly accused the government of having links to organized crime. a lot of we carry data rate and recover to rifle a machine gun for pistols, 3 grenades, and 4 boxes of munitions. there were also 2 motor bikes and a vehicle reported stone of ecuador. one scene as an oasis of peace in the region, has become a key player in lucrative cocaine trafficking routes to europe. and north america

is too good evening for the people. this is a political cry which has all the characteristics of terrorism, and we do not doubt that this murder is an attempt to sabotage the electoral process. the president has declared to 60 the state of emergency and deployed the army, as us can be thought, most of us through the media. we ask people to vote because with the support of the armed forces and the police, we guarantee the selection will be safe. but people are worried beyond politics is the fact that this not only affects us as citizens, but also as a country, you know, we're being watched abroad. i mean, unfortunately, this gives the wrong impression to people who want to come here or invest the police say, the suspected gunman died in custody after exchanging fire with security personnel . at least 6 colombians had been arrested boat. investigators say a larger criminal network could be behind the assassination the f. b, i has agreed to look into the case via the since y'all was not the leading

candidate. pulse of jesse placed 5th among 8 contenders. many are now questioning of his killing was a warning for all politicians, particularly the next president, the katya little bits of the yen for inside story. the . all right, let's bring it out. guess from kito with joined by man. what a peak, a professor of international relations at the university at san francisco, the quito is equitable from london, heavier from hey, a journalist unless an american offense analyst and from vancouver were joined by grace john miller, a professor at the school, a public policy in global affairs of the university of british columbia and a friend of the late, the have a sense, you're welcome to you all. thanks for being with us on inside story grace. let's start with you. for decades equitable was one of life in america's least violent

countries. now it has a homicide rate higher than that of mexico. what's going wrong? is it down to by block congealed raphielle bank policy? a. hi thing is the boat i have, but yeah, i would rather say the lot or where are we missing an extremely we get state incapable of leaving controlling the means of vitamins. it has been going on for a bank at the very least. but as soon as the last 5 years i would say that they dump lars have better when i go to the territory, especially in some problems is that i key to coffee king. then the police system. not only you only do a thing and then actually lives on the sensors of the ability to transform these dramatic situation. not surprisingly, corruption is wrong pond. on and to moments, for example, is the threats of violence are immediately part of any aggression when it comes to

what's on the worth of trying to face an or at least announce then corruption, the most feasible phase less if they're not louisiana. he says here in the years, but he's not the only one on these that contract. he said that the, with the i mean capable to state a week of state in the last decade or so. and it will be going on. and then there's a, a huge restructuring unless we are talking seriously about the drug war that is going to out of the continent. have a, how much of what's happening right now? what equitable could be traced back to the decisions of for president rafael, cut into an ending cooperation with the us drug enforcement agency, for example, closing the us military base a. what about career successes? why didn't, why haven't they got a grip on the security situation in the country? you would basically uh brook attention that little hopping of pregnancy delay 1995 . the one that needs to be said showed the nouns will still nettles, was

a content which works with this. you not look at any mix equal so they being up to even the me to go risk presidency. of this all the cup took a little slow list of work with another doctor because of these got to be struck guns. i've been working with a mix from that for many years and does made it very difficult for the government decide. not, we don't know whether mr. career decision to stop coach could corporate them with the americans and made it easier. what it is clear is that these got tails in, in the destructive, those in the take for the, uh, what is probably what i'm, what supported by the mexican impulses, if you like. so that was big is difficult to pinpoint that switch point at these level of cooperation between the us on april is responsible for top of the bus to. but if i lived in missouri is that you have the same kind of corporation in other countries, not, you know, maybe we could get the truck at this to operate because they have a lot of networks and a lot of context on this. a lot of corruption,

i'm on the political class in that respect. i think assume we move usually that these categories response or for the mother of president. i'm used to be evidence of when we don't know yet we what, what the seems to be clear. he's the he wasn't cream, you know, mother, depending on the face and nation. we don't know yet except the who accept please. i mean, and then also mobile, who are the biggest cocktails in, in, in, in the claim responsibility. the able to put the said no, we haven't done it. we don't know yet. the defense, minnesota, the defense minister said we clearly. so what's happening need for the the so there are more with the government, the cartels, the primary premium guns. and that's what has to be worked so. okay, we don't know yet exactly which company is responsible for the organ. this company is definitely a be fine. the focus nation. ok. this before we, we, we get into exactly what's going on right now in the presidential election. but what i'm so i'm, so i'm keen just to examine that the roots of this crisis,

to what extent is this violent crime? so jean equitable linked to the end of the fox insurgency and neighboring colombia in 2016. it's definitely connected to the the disagreements, right? that's filled over from colombia into a car door. but this has a much deeper roots in 2003, the cartels from mexico have summit's incidental and decided to use ecuador as a base for their operations. right? so i, but there has become the main basis in latin america for the expert of cocaine, the us and here of so it's just as great had them. you just said that you'd send an evolution that exploded the last few years because of the role of the states, not spending the public expenditure in the ministry of the interior. the reality that today we have 40 murders at the neck of the or the beginning of 2023. it's 40 murders a day in the culture of 18000000 people. and everybody is responsible. the cartels

from mexico to legend america. um, the government's from korea to less so current, contemporary governments and defended. lovely. lovely seems to have defined the murdered as a crime of state. so it's a little too simplistic to just blame it on the car itself. okay, grace, would it be fair to describe ecuador as as a now co state right now? is it on the way to becoming a failed state? i hold notes and i say i'm following up on what am i going to also say the problem is that nobody is doing anything to restructuring the whole situation. i think i may, i mean, if you take out the democratic controls of the security forces, the intentions especially. i mean, what do we have and went through a position where all the intelligence in a practice. it whether the media die or the parties were due to wires on how the

priority of the put that and then now goals or the drug cartels. i'd be since 1990 is really but and what the career ministration has been to blame for is to move to hear that. i mean to move that and security part of those into policy guidance. and i have prosecution or, and he jobs. so that is what change i might be cutting the space at the beginning. we can trace back to that by the we have to move from that conversation and that situation into the real cause, the control of the security up or up as i would say, that is the beginning of the restructuring of the police or military forces because they're clearly insulin instant credit, and i think the, all their aspects of, of the issue is independence of the judiciary. otherwise, there's a d throughout. and then there's no way of going on out if there is

no these basic guarantee that you have and you will have inductions free from fear of buying. and so that is the beginning of probably a process of restructuring on the starting yet again. and to see a different conversation in the upcoming years or starting from now, i would say in the upcoming election, heavier, how far does the reach of the criminal gangs spreading in ecuador, i mean how corrupt acquittals institutions, its politics is the only implicated in it in any of this it could take a look or per a freely without corruption of high levels of di, political levels on police. you cannot operate if there's corruption a if there's no corruption to corruption, ease, and feeds. uh, you know, is one of the elements in with the truck because he used to be able to operate

freely um, with impunity. uh, these people have a lot of money. they bribe uh, you know, pretty decent. they buy the police, etc. but also we mustn't forget this uh, just on the 9th of august, the day before he wasn't facing they to me said me every single shit i quote, please know what the truth is, the premium most drug dealers, illegal minus um white color premium. that's eve on height, which means that she point can pointed. the police force is probably responsible for the patient because they were not doing enough. in some cases, people suff incompetence in some cases because of corruption. so it is perfectly possible. i believe the police that i don't know whether they are be by the police level that is levels of person which allow these cocktails to operate with such impunity. and that needs to be central had already been pointed. this particular issue in relation to the security forces. you know, if i were talking about the quote that he quote for an interview he gave on the 9th of august. so obviously this is, there is

a connection between the way the proposal parade, but also how to rupture them, feeds and helps descriptive to a parade in bite pointed to a point load on all the conditions in the region. by the way to do before i ask you another question, do you have anything to add to that? yeah, i do. the scandals of narco generals has been, has been widely covered in the brother in media in the us media, international media. it's very clear that the levels changed. you know, the day before his death of corruption scandal with the oil fields that was connected to the 3 former governments from korea and wouldn't know and the current government have less so. so the fact that his family denounced the crime of state indicates the relations and the collaboration between cartels and government officials. okay. and what will this forthcoming collection solve any of equitable problems with violent crime? who are the front runners?

what are they saying about what they do about the situation? it is, it's good to keep in mind that in february had municipal elections that were the most violent elections in the history of ecuador. and now the current elections have surpassed the level of violence. we have over 60 politicians at the suffering violence attacks over the last year. we already delivery sensor was the last one, but we had before him 10 days before. um the i got a from mazda who was assassinated drapes, the local official. we had 2 candidates for office for originally, 2 buses. horse estimated this last month. there many politicians and elected officials being assassinated over the last few weeks. um, now we have an empty seats at the elections coming up. the proposals are limited in the sense that we all the candidates are proposing more police presence and more

control of the jails from where the cartels operates. but the depths, the roots of the matter is really to corruption. that is institutionalized within the states, and they go back to what grace just mentioned. a few minutes ago, the career governments words, we've cartels institutionalized per thousands too. so i have some rules that allow cartels to operate freely in the country. and if, if the legal official did not do it out of their own, will they do it out of the madness of threats. and there are very few tools available to change the structures of power. and that's where the problem really lives that allows the current 1000 devices to continue to operate grace. what are the implications of, via for sense here was about a full this election with the context now become more polarized, as a result of, of, of his death would be of a sense you have made it through to the 2nd round. we don't know, i mean in 3,

a candidate square, we're actually fighting for the 2nd place. eh, auto. so now holes there. yeah. compare is on. and if i'm not going to ever since, you know, we didn't know, we don't know if steel because there's almost 60 percent between 50 and 60 percent depending on the polls you see um, off in decisiveness in the country. so it's a country that these deeply designed chances with connections with the democratic and transitions on the phone rather, why is loose, i want to sign this and who, who is in the patio refined career. so i, i really saying that is one of the reasons is that is a game changer because it wouldn't force on it. in fact, the man i can tell you more about that. there's a cold for unity of these amongst a candidates that are running floor the, i would say the century is democratic tickets. where and then the agenda of the day

at least is this is funny and upheld the democratic principles of have free elections and anything on participation, social participation and song. so i would say that 3 that i mentioned before, although yes, it is on the ever since you were the ones that are really and running for these agenda. all democrats, apparently the democratic principles that probably democratic reform on the way out, i would say is that it's a uni deal that front, whatever the difference is, i mean there's a huge difference between them. in terms of agend us and quality got uh, and support and song. but his deal, we are an engine that is running against a cold or is running against the centrist and side from the center left to the

center, right? all the way to worse something that is a, a more out 3 dining agenda, especially with is in mrs. reesa on sundays. and also another candidate that plays or tries to be the new candidate present or incentive other in the who is john thought. so that is the pretty guy situation and i will, i really thing that the, the and me, so we go, he says he's going to change in our squares christmas. we said the beginning of the program, a front of the, of the, of a sense it was a friend of yours, boba's he liked, it was obviously a very brave man. if he'd been given the chance to, to run the country. how would, how would he have sorted out this mess would he, would he have been, would have taken a hard line? a good thing at finding says she was a long time more than close friends, but i, i knew i know him. i knew him since i was 19 years of age and that he was

a dealer in university being undergrad in the same and social communication under god. but he was always on the wait there. in fact i have a hit, he won support listed it. i mean, i was running, but it didn't body, i think he was running for a certain body as well. and then he was always biased, the good debater. and he will not lose an argument. he was always very stubborn about the fighting for issues regardless of the issue. and then i, i have seen him a lot throughout the years, especially because he was 1st at the forefront of confronting corruption and then the state on enterprise and the brands. they are a company in a brother, petrograd, or at the beginning separate and then throughout the years old. and he will top me to because i used to have a column and then they need new state there and come their seal. so who used to adopt me and say, you know, this is gotten, at least you

a chance should raise awareness about this and then, and also possibly doing the correct ministration when he was persecuted for, for the nose in graph 4 and different cases of corruption. but most importantly, because of the incident in september 32010, when they're less, i'm really tied up or i so on and korea or their he's rescue from a grace pretty quickly. what, what are you afraid of a good president? i would say with unity and i don't, i don't believe in cody us as they're not, they are a strong leaders. i will say take a village. i'm probably yes. with a note of help from accommodation. we don't know the leave. he will go into the 2nd wrong, but he definitely was a very good natured zencter in terms of confronting and the sources of corruption,

even going from seeing and nature as a thursday. the national assembly represent that they've school, who were part of these corruption that weren't, that is taking the country nowadays. okay. have a, what happens if the country votes for a candidate who says, i know how to fix it? this is it's, it's my way all the, all the highway a hard line, a dangerous for the country and that that's a very good question indeed. i will call you mentioned john poppy. he cautioned, said the book kaylee offered further. but the book it and now you will, kayla is the person of the shuttle who took a hard line on crime. and now he's been accused of violating human rights on attempts to stay in power longer than he should change. and the constitution on electronic roles and these to topics have moved to me on the the meetings didn't expect some us use that to speak. he said he have much now sofa according to being opposed to a pub in a few days ago. you only have 4 percent of the vote, but now the question is, what a key, what was, what the cause actually speech even more often such as nation i to go through the

2nd route because nobody's going to within the 1st law resource site is from the go to the bach you the city since they were losing. so i hate with only 26 percent of the whole. so the question is whether mr. toby wouldn't make it and then run off of the election or the other kind of it, which had me mention the young you have to pay this will certainly wholesale us on a horse that make it. so the thing you would be that if somebody who is on the line will be stable keyless policies make, becomes elected. these could lead to see real a 4 retired young tendencies within that quote. which could be for the thing is uh, but also eve, before you can tell that they've got to be able to get those mixed up to. so what would cause we didn't think whether these people are very powerful to have a lot of 5 pilots. we could create and must have conflict in the federal the, the local guns. oh, they might us, here we have to go with the powerful, brought to the tales from mexico working with captive. we didn't take weather and that would be very difficult to provide. so then you'll be obviously that will have

to be a more hard line approach to what the products to prevent things like live as a snitch won't be. so it'd be, it'd be sent you from happening again. but at the same time, visit danger. this could be done with all the time you will see sure, let me still get it booked in a quote and sort of other which would be daniels for the democratic pulses in this . how about the equivalent? so it remains to be seen whether this is going to change is there somebody mentioned one of my colleague and they called and said again to turn to the dc, need a game changer. he remains to be seen. who's going to come 2nd, because they come to be a rental more than 50 percent, or will 60 percent of the awfully what there is. don't know who they are going to vote for either things or it remains to be seen. how these people who do not know what to do, going to vote for the rental because there is no going to be a clear winner and defend the 1st wrong. on the 11th of august, about what i, i see and not to get an agreement that no, yeah it's, um, it did and they dragers money question. the absence of this phase, this date is the minister of injury,

is only spending using executing 80 percent of the spending assigned to the ministry of interior. so do you have sense of the stages, perhaps intentional, allowing a lot of these gangs to operate. and just such a nation of you let me think so you definitely play a game changer. the question is, who benefits from? it's because it's the extreme left or so frame does left, right. degrees mall we've seen that's benefiting from it. but perhaps because they're seen as benefiting from it, it's the other side. it was actually benefiting from it drapes. so to sort of highs and may recover, a lot of the votes that were assigned that were going to go for related things are . so it's not clear yet who will benefit from it. it is clear that the population is very upset about this killing. it shows the level of vulnerability of ecuador items, of violence, and the term disability of violence and the lack of action from the state. so people will vote in reaction to this killing and the other 4000 killings from the

beginning of the year. the question is, who will inherits, develops from july, the science of grace? is there any reason for optimism to, to the people of equitable have any reason to be optimistic about the future? is the country headed for, for the violence of a k arsic few years ahead? do you think i i don't think there are reasons for optimism to be honest and, and this until i send them across the forces of the country and it gets united and i'm really confront this is and not all i'm, i'm gracious them off. keep bikes on corruption within the system because only a democratic and national on unit d dot is it. the highest priority is 1st and foremost, to recover the state to restore the state capacity to control the means of force. nothing will happen because it, as i said, is not just a strong my role to do such

a thing on the we are, i wouldn't say on an action that is only going to not for me whether wins as president is going to not just for 18 months, so the agenda for change on reform in div needs a lot of the unity needs. the tape of social forces is even society, organizations organize, i'm not organized, but also the different organizations that are running to, for, to, to hold did the highest offices in the state. so it's not about the re speak new, but there is a way out. but it will really take no order was problem. none of suffering this deal before we come to see a light out of the toner. okay. that i'm afraid we must end it manufacturing dates of being with us by the way, the pick heavier from hey, and grace jeremy little. thanks for watching. you can see the program again at any

time by going to the websites around to 0. talk. com for further discussion. you can join us on our facebook page at facebook dot com, forward slash a inside story out. of course, you can join the conversation on twitter handle at a inside story from me. i agree instead of going to the team here, and so thanks for watching. we'll see you again, bye for the the, this is in region that is walk you to the people a thing, but it's one also that is afflicted by conflicts political upheaval. some of those

we talk to elsewhere is saying that they sled update hearing that other villages had been attacked. what we do, and i'll just, sarah, is try to balance the stories, the good, the bad, the id tell it says it was. and he's the people who allow us into their lives, dignity into minus. he asked me to tell this story, discover the world of different determination. i'm telling you that we need to, we, i'm listening to freedom so just 16 people, corruption and compassion averages 0 was a selection of the best films from across our network of channels coveted beyond wells. taken without hesitation,

fulton died from power that finds out loud. we live here, we make the rule, not them. they find an enemy and then they try and scare other people with that and people empower, investigate, expose this and questions. they use them to be just of our around because on out is there the the why is the tiny generals is to investigate, will follow jesus phones to well, if i was on by way that have killed a 2 people, the hello so robert, this selves overload that will also coming up contribute to a presidential hopefuls of voters and equitable more to subsidize candidates,

and then the via of incense to thousands of product to support as well to the french.