Inside Ecuador’s war with drug gangs | Ecuador: Under Fire | People & Power Documentary

Ecuador is currently experiencing an unprecedented wave of unrest. The dramatic takeover of a public TV station by masked gunmen and prison riots in January 2024 shocked a country already struggling with historically high crime and murder rates.
The violence during the last election campaign, including the killing of a presidential candidate, made headlines around the world. Following the peace process in Colombia between FARC rebels and the state, and the 2009 departure of the US Drug Enforcement Agency from Ecuador, the presence of criminal and drug trafficking organisations has severely challenged national security.
In the last few years, Ecuador has transitioned from being one of the safest countries in Latin America to becoming one of the most dangerous in the world. This situation poses a significant challenge for the new government, which will be transitional due to a growing political crisis that also hangs over the country.
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#Ecuador #Documentary #warondrugs
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Thanks for tuning in. Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. Here's the playlist to People & Power's weekly investigative documentaries that look at the use and abuse of power: kzbin.info/aero/PLzGHKb8i9vTxzx2kGLlaA6y9MSJZWVPIF

[@scottduke2809]

my thought is i have no idea what the video showed because i spent the entire time READING subtitles!! USE VOICE DUB OVERS!!!!!!!!!!!! especially when video switches shots so fast! if i want to read i will grab a book!

[@user-ll7bg5pw7r]

Somerimes less biased than bbc smh. No where to get real news.

[@HoneyLove77]

PLEASE GET A VOICE OVER SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE SAYING!!

[@rei0ri]

Culture is very important, in El Salvador, gang culture was empowered by the music, clothes and the way they used to talk, young people nowadays see that culture as cringe, that is the first step for changing the way youngsters won't feel welcomed into the gangs.

[@ahmedshaharyarejaz9886]

Yes, gang culture must be seen as the cringe it is. Idolising thieves, pimps, rapists and murderers is why gang culture spreads.

[@randusco93]

some of my closest friends are Ecuadorian and i must say some of the nicest people I have ever met. This is just heartbreaking.

[@muhammadaftab15033]

May God grant peace and stability to the people of Ecuador 🇪🇨. Love to the people of Ecuador from Pakistan 🇵🇰.

[@RONNYfromOZ]

God 🤣🤣🤣

[@Sedonapass]

yea ask god to fix pakistan first lmaooooooo

[@idnanali4668]

​@@SedonapassPakistan is fine. I live in Azad Kashmir and i am living a comfortable life

[@supermarinebuttzilla618]

@@idnanali4668 don't mind these crackheads bro. Ramadan Kareem! Hope Ecuadorian government prevail.

[@WizGam]

Terrorist are worse than gangs

[@zaevma]

Ecuador needs to implement what El Salvador has for all gang members

[@BeenGolden]

The Lungs of the Planet is in pain. 😔

[@mosimosi630]

This is horrible Ecuador is such a beautiful country

[@Ahmat_Sila]

A President born and raised in America. Visited Ecuador only on Holidays in Summer.🎉

[@coltentackett892]

And? He brought some good ideas back with him 🦅🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@JayArr]

The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Drug production and trafficking will never stop because there will always be a constant float of desperate, lost, starving individuals. At the end of they day, some families are just trying to put food on the table. I have lost all hope for beautiful coastal Mexico. Sorry Lord.

[@martinusv7433]

Some words of advice for such people: they'd have SIGNIFICANTLY more money to spend on food, if they stopped wasting it on buying drugs 🤦🤦

[@conrusselrad]

@@martinusv7433dude that went over your head lol… it’s the rich people who are doing drugs, the poor which are trafficking and producing them as a means of survival. All of this is the United States fault. We have the largest drug market in the world. Cocaine is snorted just as much by addicts as it is frat boys.

[@sss-gl9et]

@@martinusv7433 you're too smart for this world

[@johnh.mcsaxx3637]

​@@martinusv7433Depends on whether they're buying the drugs themselves, or just shipping to the addicts in the US who will buy all of them.

[@user-zg9sq3yh2u]

​@@martinusv7433the thing is that if you sell the drugs you buy your probably financially better off than most of the population. Crime pays... that's why people do it. It's all fun and games till your dead or in prison.

[@gabrielmendez3780]

excellent report and very good work of the national police of Ecuador GEMA, Mr. President, continue fighting crime in all its forms

[@aljazeeraenglish]

Thanks for watching, dear Gabriel. 🙌

[@adamdudley8736]

for real.. at least they don't have to deal with a group like Hamas

[@EarthtonesCymbals]

Al Jazeera is raw and real news. Keep up the good work. The drug trafficking and corruption and especially the senseless loss of lives in Ecuador is very disturbing to say the least.

[@rashminable]

It is so sad to see this happening in Ecuador. When I visited in 2018, i got the sense it was a country with so much potential and on the brink of great success :(

[@g.mendoza8138]

May the victims rest in peace 🙏🙏🙏

[@user-wq5rh9cn4e]

El salvador 🇸🇻 bukele is a good example

[@fabianserrano9371]

I'm ecuadorian. To understand the problem. Colombia is a laundry and drug state. Its military does not enter coca cultivation and manufacturing areas. They find a way to transport drugs abroad in Ecuador. In Ecuador there are more than 1,500 Colombians in prisons. Now Venezuela, a socialist country, has released criminals from its prisons, as Cuba did years ago and sent them to all of America, today they are even entering the USA through the border. They are also a bridge to bring drugs to the USA through Cuba. In Ecuador we had more than 15 years of socialist governments that let these criminals enter, damaged the judicial system, removed the US base in Manta, which controlled the air traffic of small planes that take drugs to Mexico. They bribed police and military. This entire operation is financed by the Mexican cartels. Today we have hope, positive changes are coming.

[@Mercediccv]

Do yourself a favor before to speculate what you are not aware of and stop saying things that are not true because you do not say the true to people that are out of the country, check who was in the government during 8 years, first Lenin Moreno who was another corrupt President that sold Ecuador to the ones that could pay a good money for the territory with 30 years of exploration of mines, petroleum and orher sources, and the last 4 years the next President GUILLERMO LASO, he owns Banco d3 Guayaquil and other business in the country and out of the country, he is of the right win = right party = conservatives = old fashion way to lead the country with plutocracy, he is not socialist party, do not speak what you do not know. FYI, he was ex Economist Minister in 2000 with Jamil Mahuad another corrupt President right party too not socialist, no left party, here we are not speak about being married with parties, the purpose is that a man have to do the right thing, honest and work as desire to be a President leading a nation in the right path for the sake of his citizens. GUILLERMO LASO was the one that brought poverty and down the economy of Ecuador, exchanging Sucre per Dolar to a rough reality with Dolorización = Painful Economy. Also, the Legislative and the Justice Power and the Parliament were not able to take legal action against him and because he unable them since he was elected President, because he and his son in law were involved with the Albanian Mafia, dirty business, corruption during his time leading as President. To trust a politician you have to demonstrate with efficient actions, results in the short, medium, and permanent term in the Guarantee of Security without censoring the citizen with freedom of expression and respecting different opinions of its Ecuadorian citizens, and Optimal Well-being, and Quality Education, Complete International Programs of 240 minimum credits for Universities and that are Efficient, betting on easy and quick access also for primary school with a second language (English) and third language (Chinese, German, any other) International without limit of age, ethnicity, status because this guarantees a Competitive Economy that consolidates Ecuador at the level of developed countries and that of Universal Social Public Health Services, also regulating the purchase of affordable and safe housing based on the per capita income of its citizens, without crime, violence, applying fair, non-abusive regulations because Noboa is the owner along with his father who could not be President of 100 or so companies, only in time will we see if he started in politics to serve and work honestly for the people of Ecuador or are they just like the rest of the predecessor Presidents to steal money from the public coffers and evade taxes and/or create laws so that taxes are not applied to the great fortunes of the country who are well-paid and apply high taxes only to the middle and working class and the small and medium-sized businesses suffocating them, I am skeptical, I am like Saint Thomas, I have to see to believe and even if I believe with an eye, looking at who it surrounds itself with and what deals it makes and at what price for its citizens. As Mr. President Bukele said, when there is good intention from the heart for the love of his country, if he wants to do things well, it can be made possible, and there is no need to put the country in excessive debt, or ask for international help because no one helps you for free. abroad, they always want something in return, and their leaders sell the country to the highest bidder to get out of the problem quickly. So we will be watching it from inside and outside the country.

[@liljoe5]

Ecuador underestimate El Salvador. Now they rralize they can. and do the same like El Salvador

[@sss-gl9et]

MS13 and 18th St. were gangs that killed each other from pure hatred and were financed mainly through extorsion, kidnappings, microtrafficking, etc. They were never exporters of thousands of millions of $ worth in drugs. Also, in Ecuador, there are too many criminals infiltrated in power structures. Politicians, judges, police, military, businessman, you name it. Corruption runs too deep, alongside involvement of multiple international criminal syndicates. Is the Bukele strategy possible? Yes, it is, but it would come at a much higher human cost, and likely fail. Like Bukele himself said, if a strategy or policy worked in a country, doens't mean it will automatically work in another country.

[@user-ft2mm9me9u]

You dont jail them they Will never change so you Know what to do

[@antonraterman2281]

My ex wife’s parents are from Ecuador. As well as most of her cousins parents. Some of the most beautiful people I have ever known. My ex mother in law just passed away and I got to see them for the first time in years at the funeral. It was so good to see these wonderful people. I wish Ecuador the best. This is unacceptable!!!

[@j0seluis_1993]

GEMA 🇪🇨

[@Dee-ye2dk]

I support Ecuador! I wish my American citizens would stop buying the cartel drugs but they lack a spine. Apologies from America

[@emptyemptiness8372]

Wow, bro you are one of the few who sees the truth. Stop buying they will stop dying. People will never stop taking intoxicants so we need a different system that cuts out organized crime and corruption . Have a good day.

[@Dee-ye2dk]

@@emptyemptiness8372 I know it’s “our” fault South America is drug ridden. I’m a social worker working with adults with substance use. I try to understand their needs but at the same rime I can’t, especially with weed being practically legal in most states.

[@josesigala7520]

@@Dee-ye2dk REALLY its the cocaine that brings death

[@stayingfitandfocused]

@@emptyemptiness8372 America won't stop. They are the reason for a lot of suffering of the world, then have the audacity to frame any other place outside of the U.S as "dangerous"

[@richardj.chaparrosr.9810]

The 🇺🇸 will always consume illicit drugs always has...just sayn 👃 🐽 🤥 👺 😅😅😅

[@nirmaljungsenkhadka]

Learn from el savedor

[@jewels211966]

Same as ANC South Africa...

[@shone_3]

Great docu! So sad to see all the youngsters killed

[@kinadwaytan9941]

in the philippines, many are against war on drugs, specially the opposition group.because of their political ambitions!

[@user-ll7bg5pw7r]

I love al jazeera.. thank u for this update

[@aljazeeraenglish]

Thanks for watching!

[@spicemalange5199]

Hard drugs ruin everything it touches...

[@marcos-rd1ob]

Yea

[@Flynnworx007]

Candidate Villavicencio was not protected by his security team!

[@NOTALENT-fw5tk]

Follow El salvador

[@Sonam_sharma14]

They need to learn from el salvadorian president nayib bukele!

[@VilcabambaTheUnderbelly]

Ecuador will take years, if ever, to become a republic.

[@mortalexo103]

Welp. Can't unsee that. What a tragedy.

[@ABEYMUS76]

Nyawa penduduk yang tidak bersalah di tidurkan selamanya dalam tanah. Kasihan mereka.. Angkara dadah ibubapa kehilangan anak mereka mati terkena tembakan pengedar.. Berapa usia presiden ekuador.. Saya lihat orangnya muda lagi..

[@Seawolfaka]

Should be legalized. By registered State and federal stores . Regulate it

[@yangerjamir0906]

But the cartel problem will still remain. They could sell their drugs cheaper than what legal pharmas would as well as human trafficking, extortion, protection racket...the crimes these people will still engage in is endless.

[@sss-gl9et]

@@yangerjamir0906 It wouldn't be the same at all. The market would shift, they'd lose so much money, and power alongside it. That's the point, not magically solving all crime.

[@juliovega1930]

I❤your content

[@aljazeeraenglish]

Thanks for watching. We appreciate your positive feedback. 🙌

[@jangchupyonten6854]

This docu has more interpretorr than it requires

[@markcalzaverini]

I can see a Narcos Ecuador coming up on Netflix soon.

[@Randall2023]

Lake St. Martin First Nation Manitoba Canada 🇨🇦

[@josemorales2224]

That was El Salvador- this is the Bukele Domino Effect- good job president- get the gangs in jail.

[@Randall2023]

Dauphin River First Nation Manitoba Canada 🇨🇦

[@d-bosssavagestak3708]

Everywhere has excuses 🤔

[@WaCongoForever]

U punish criminals, or they punish u Simple

[@raymondready7496]

American government also

[@moviesforrandy]

is there really that much cocaine in the usa???i have not seen since the early 80s.

[@unelectedbureaucrat2003]

Prices never go down in UK at street level

[@jaybadayatherockmerchant9832]

It's still present

[@johnh.mcsaxx3637]

It's still lingering around. In my state meth is more common but there's at least one crackhead in a given town.

[@marcos-rd1ob]

Very much still around in the bay area.

[@unelectedbureaucrat2003]

They seized 18 tonnes in the UK last year alone

[@jessicalissettebonafonttix4140]

Never support drug cartels business because you give them more power to expand their criminal activities and things like this happens. Don't buy illegal drugs.

[@redenvy649]

Ecuador need someone like El Salvador President Bukele tactic to combat gangs

[@lightningmcqueen181]

The trick is providing Competitive Pay as an insentive to look pass the potential cash Gain..Your asking for Someone to risk their lives in a highly volatile country with Huge Short term opportunities . Gotta pay extra

[@barrybarnes96]

Make it legal and controlled and taxed by the govt. the same way the US govt. put a dent in organized crime arising out of alcohol prohibition back in the 1920s. Whatever addiction problems arise from decriminalizing cocaine etc. won't be 1/1000th of the societal damage that prohibition is causing with the gangs and guns and murder and failed states. That said, the sales of US made guns into central and south America has enabled the violence.

[@AyzieM]

And Again here is a huge problem and the associated ramifications of the drug use and demand from the USA. This dates back to the Escobar days and even further. Our "War" on drugs never bothered to think maybe we should address the root of the problem. Case in point the homeless crisis in California is not the result of economic policy it's the result of drug users and the resulting consequences like mental health and issues holding down a job to criminal background.

[@blastermaster5039]

CIA drugs.

[@stayingfitandfocused]

100% but we know america will not be held accountable. BUT, we know that the country is paying. Look at the U.S now as it slowly falls apart.

[@HoneyLove77]

Please get a voice over person!! It's hard to read as fast as they speak! We have to keep rewinding and the story gets lost!!

[@Neckoya]

😅 should of paid attention in school

[@liliaweber7257]

You can change the speed of a video in settings and watch it at a slower speed

[@rhandylouadajar2343]

Need marhall law

[@hazuone]

Sympathy with you fail country 😢

[@marytierrasol9246]

But that’s what the medium wants crime country going downhill so they get to have places to go and do report they all complain about how Salvador has become so great they’re not happy with Salvador that’s why they want Salvador to be like Ecuador

[@user-rw311]

If i stick to the beaches on Ecuador is it safe to travel there as a solo traveler. Just wondering

[@Cezthesteeze]

stupid. Didn’t you just watch what’s happening over there?

[@ecuadorvideos]

At the moment most of the country is pretty safe, you just don't have to be around Esmeraldas or Guayas provinces, then the rest of Ecuador is quiet safe I live in Banos one of the most touristic places in the country.

[@user-rw311]

@@ecuadorvideos has Tito been captured

[@sss-gl9et]

it depends where but yes there are safe places

[@marcos-rd1ob]

You know you can buy coke in your own country you don't need to travel to the warzone

[@IamValentina66]

You would think they would all be happy with all those drugs. Just thugs. And the people suffer.

[@adamdudley8736]

almost as bad as Hamas 😬

[@IamValentina66]

@@adamdudley8736 Americans were Hamas during the revolutionary war. It was won by gorilla fighters, not the tiny army. One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. Grow up.

[@jamesbond8348]

What other drugs? It’s only cocaine

[@hellowhat7803]

remember Mexico is next

[@ajthetruth2051]

This is where a.i robots would be effective

[@serget2168]

Things have changed drug money doesn't go back anymore the Chinese have got involved and they give them products that's already there for example if theres 1 million in cash in New York they gie them in Mexico 900 thousan dollars of shoes pants and so on and Chinese people send money back to China easily i watched a documentary about how both organizations are making even more money on there products by double it up

[@jinglebell9107]

Make your government like El Salvador.

[@moussaraza5732]

los choneros they are from chone it s like 2 hours from manta not in manta

[@musicalastronaut7011]

Criminals when they hurt innocent people :D Criminals when they get hurt by innocent people D,:

[@elreydelnorte_gmf]

Your opening sequence uses a clip of cartel violence obviously filmed in Mexico. Vests saying CJNG (Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion) are clearly visible and I even know when the exact clip was filmed and where. I have great respect for your network and especially this program. It's had great power and results, like your multi part series on human trafficking between Nigeria and Italy. I'm ashamed that this snuck thru your fact checkers but this is a serious, glaring error

[@KdotLINE]

If you actually watched the video, you'd realize that the video talks specifically about CJNG now working with Ecuador gangs. So no, it's not an error. 9:05

[@sss-gl9et]

@@KdotLINE it is because CJNG is not present in Ecuador in the way that it's portrayed at the beggining of this video. All that footage is from Mexico.

[@KdotLINE]

@@sss-gl9et Ok? I mean, just because they don't have footage of CJNG IN Ecuador doesn't mean they aren't there. It's the only footage available (I'm assuming), so it's not an error.

[@sss-gl9et]

@@KdotLINE No it's not the only footage lol. I see what ur saying but it can be misleading. Point is CJNG doesn't act as an armed group in Ecuador.

[@oldtabrough1026]

They need to vote Kim Jung Un as their president

[@user-ty7pu7uh3s]

Soo~~, where's Human RIghts Watch?, where are those who critiquing Bukele at?, don't tell me only after the people got cornered and adopt Bukele way that these talking heads such as Al Jazeera take notice, no human rights concern when it's come to gang victims, am i right?

[@MusicShortsGlobal]

This nation seems troubled by cartels. I'm glad we don't have this kind of problem.

[@michellekabanga3612]

Here the so called human rights is quiet

[@CurtJunya]

In a FREE market, drugs would be legal.

[@sss-gl9et]

Sadly that's up to the "1st world" countries.

[@jesusaguilar1206]

Mexico exporting its cartel bizz

[@estellavlogs6758]

He is like president duterte in the phillipines

[@paulproductions9213]

Ley Marcial (mano dura) Ecuador 🇪🇨 Si tenemos tanto crimen en América Latina 🎉 es por leyes compasivas y autoridades pusilánimes, Somos la nación con las peores leyes y Legisladores, ejemplos: COE nacional, COIP.

[@user-rw311]

Ecuadors government ahould be smart and make sure to keep the narco money in Ecuador they just need to figure out how to alow down the violence so the country can be normal. That drug money in Ecuador will help there banks amd there economy in so many ways. 💯💯💯💯💯💯if the narcos took there money out of mexico the entire mexico banking system would collapse

[@BH-pl7vg]

Stupid comment

[@realone8651]

Send them to the US

[@chadspinalbosd007]

No le deja ni un vivo, do not let one of those gang members live ever. Human rights libers amd democrats around the world only care about the criminals

[@Affliction99]

Actually, everyone needs money, not god or government or politics or education anything

[@MrGoodsalesman]

This show spread fear and does not show the good side winning by being just as ruthless. This program is a hack.

[@danielwwahai8664]

Which country is this?

[@msaltalola]

Equador

[@dalalfreij]

Are u serious???

[@habibpaints9719]

ozone layer

[@Pyrrhic537]

​​@@dalalfreijIf he's a Spanish or Portuguese speaker he might be asking like " What kind of country is this" IE how terrible it is. Que país é esse is a famous Brazilian protest rock song

[@robertkitchens6341]

Can you read are you that stupid

[@paovue782]

Animals

[@user-pc2nw2eb9j]

Stop bullshitt ok,talk to president of el Salvador, he will show u the right way

[@user-ek7uo5lr6p]

Bre😂is

[@stayingfitandfocused]

South america has to get it right. Can't be letting the gringo super power believe they are superior, seriously I feel the same about my own black communities and watching them tear themselves apart. It's sad because Ecuador is so beautiful. Like how tf can a criminal organization take over a prison with weapons, these people should be ashamed of letting the country even get to this level wtf.

[@ArthurRodisCardio]

Al Jazeera is the station of hamas

[@ousmansanneh128]

Until you embrace Islam no success... running away from police don't solve your problem... prison is temporal and not severe but hell fire 🔥 is severe so fear Allah...hw can you fear makluk

[@iqbalvilglez.7305]

Fanatic.

[@ousmansanneh128]

@@iqbalvilglez.7305 until we meet B4 Allah we see who is a fanatic...u foolish moron

[@tommyg3612]

Nobody's buying it. Sorry. Keep it in central asia.

[@Sappz_]

Latin America pal we’re sticking with our Catholicism and always will viva cristo rey.

[@user-jm4kc3vh7o]

IN GOD WE TRUST

[@godweed3205]

So all these gangs have families too, it’s like who tf is protecting them

[@warmonger8799]