Editorial: Le Monde

• Ecuador is questioned whether it is on the brink of becoming a failed state due to recent surge in violence following the escape of an influential crime lord, Adolfo Macias.
• The country has experienced a series of crises, including prison riots, live television hostage situations, and kidnappings of security forces.
• President Daniel Noboa acknowledged the internal armed conflict and vowed to neutralize criminal groups.
• Ecuador, once considered a haven of peace, has become a target for organized crime, exacerbated by a shift in cocaine trafficking routes.
• Decisions made by previous governments, such as privatizing ports and abolishing the Ministry of Justice, have facilitated and exacerbated the rise of crime.
• Political instability and economic hardships have worsened the situation, hindering the implementation of sustainable and effective responses.
• The successor of Lenin Moreno, Guillermo Lasso, has been entangled in a conflict with the Parliament, further exacerbating political tension.
• The current ruler, Daniel Noboa, has little time to prove his leadership and is hindered by the lack of majority in the Parliament.

Conclusion: Ecuador's growing fragility emphasizes the need for regional rather than merely national responses to the current security crisis. A prolonged destabilization of Ecuador would be catastrophic for its immediate neighbors and much of Latin America. Foreign intervention may be necessary to address this issue.

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