Ecuador declares war on organized crime and illegal mining: Minister of Government and Interior, Mónica Palencia, affirms the social responsibility of actively combating growing criminal activities and terrorism and calls for unified action between government ministries and civil society.
Photo: X @MinInteriorEc
EFE
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Leer en español: Ministra del Interior: Ecuador está “en guerra” contra la delincuencia
Challenges in Ecuador: Minister declares "war" against crime
Ecuador is "at war" against organized crime, illegal mining, and terrorist activities, said the Minister of Government and the Interior, Mónica Palencia.
"The war is already over, it's not that we are going to wage it, we are at war: we did not choose the enemies. It is a responsibility of civil society, not just the Government, to actively participate from all spaces," he said.
He pointed out that, to respond to this problem, all the Government's actions interact at the ministerial level.
Collaboration between ministries for the construction of the New Ecuador
"Defense will work hand in hand, historically, with the Interior, the Ministry of Government, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Culture" to ensure the construction of the New Ecuador, he noted.
He highlighted the work with the police institution: "We are offering work, work, and work. The results remain to be seen, we have a very well-organized strategic planning in terms of security."
"There will be strategic intelligence, tactical intelligence, and operational intelligence. There has already been a first step, changes in the generals of the Police, but not only in the generals but in the positions, the activities that each general will carry out," he indicated, according to a statement from the ministry released this Saturday.
Facing violence in Guayas and Esmeraldas
Regarding security for the provinces of Guayas and Esmeraldas, two of the most affected by the high rates of violence, Palencia highlighted the need to work on prevention and repression against the common enemy which is organized crime.
"There are no first or second-category citizens regarding human life. We are doing a technical analysis to know what we can achieve, I am in talks with the governor and other entities," he said.
The minister highlighted her commitment to Ecuador and urged all citizens to build a new Ecuador with "optimism and strength."
A call for collaboration between technology and human resources
"We are going to build security not only with drones and cutting-edge technology but with human beings, soldiers, military, and police, as long as we take care of them as our most valuable treasure. We need civil society, military, police walking together hand in hand, because, Although we have a lot of technology if we do not have human beings willing to fight for this territory, we can sink," he said.
Read also: Daniel Noboa Will Have a Brief Mandate in Ecuador Focused On "Security And Employment"
Palencia reaffirmed her commitment to the 'New Ecuador': "I am willing to give my life for this country. I know the risks I run, and I know what I am doing by changing generals in the police leadership. I am going to run all the risks that are necessary for Ecuador," he said.
Ecuador closed 2022 with the highest rate of violent deaths in its history, registering 25.32 per 100,000 inhabitants, but the trend for this year can reach, and even exceed, 40 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, according to experts.
