Ecuador is a small South American country roughly the size of Colorado. Although Ecuadorian military or civilian personal compose only 5% of the western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation’s (the School of the America’s new name, or WHINSEC), WHINSEC graduates have influenced the country. General Guillermo Rodriguez, a graduate, led a military coup d’etat and became the dictator of Ecuador from 1972 to 1976.
In recent years, Ecuador has suffered political instability that is not related to the activities of WHINSEC graduates. Colombian drug cartels and terrorist organizations have established bases in northern and northeastern Ecuador. Organized crime, weapons trafficking and drug smuggling have become major problems. Nonviolent crime permeates all of Ecuador and violent crime such as murder, armed robbery and rape are on the rise. The State Department has issued warnings to American tourists and government workers not to travel on public transportation and to be very careful when traveling in the countryside and in poorer cities.
These problems have led to the impeachment of eight presidents in ten years, the most recent occurring in 2006. Rafael Correa, Ecuador’s current president, has been battling the factious Ecuadorian legislature for years. Ecuador’s political, social and economic future is dim. Terrorism, crime and corruption are on the rise. Unless other nations come to aid Ecuador, conditions will deteriorate, giving dangerous demagogues a pathway to power.
5 comments:
Good job on telling us about your country...Its crazy that that many presidents have been impeached in that short of time.
I didnt even k now SOA had a new name..good job finding that info. Its crazy that Ecuador has such a high crime problem tourists cant even travel on the roads without risk. You would think after 8 impeachments they would try to change something in their government. This is great information!
It looks like Ecuador has a lot of problems dealing with crime and violence. Does this have to do with the SOA though? You said that recent activities aren't related to the WHINSEC, so where do they come in?
The SOA remains responsible for past and much of the current unrest, violence and corruption. It seems so pathetic that even though most humans only want to provide for their families and give their children a peaceful place to grow, the thirst for power and control continues to germenate hatred and violence. In your report, you spanned more than 35 years of terror, instability and violence. When will it end? - Good work, Kevan.
Kevan you did a really good job on finding out the chaos that occurs in Ecuador. Your headline says it all.
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