In Ecuador, President Guillermo Lasso announced the authorization of the “possession and carrying of weapons for civilian use for personal defense,” arguing that it is an “urgent measure to combat crime, drug trafficking, and organized crime.” This, in the midst of a wave of murders, kidnappings and attacks on public officials. Contrary to Lasso’s idea, citizen security specialists foresee an increase in violence in the country.
Almost unanimity is latent among Ecuadorian security experts, who agree that the measure established by President Guillermo Lasso to authorize the “possession and carrying of weapons for civilian use for personal defense” will increase violence in a country that ended the last year with the highest homicide rate in its history.
“Expand the arms market”
For the professor of the Central University of Ecuador, Luis Córdova, it is evident that this authorization to carry weapons for civilian use is counterproductive to reduce criminal violence: “In he Ecuador,already have a enormous market black of weapons of the which HE are feeding the organizations criminals for commit their illicit When HE creates this decree executive, that It allows a series of things for the import of weapons by via legal, for the manufacturing even of weapons in territory Ecuadorian, it that HE does is enlarge he market of weapons available in he country and by it so much, ease the mechanisms of traffic”, explains the expert in violence.
“Further still when No we count with mechanisms for surrender of accounts and supervision, neither even of the rake that this low jurisdiction of Forces Armed either of the that maintains Police National. Is further, in the last two years we have seen as of the own quarters of the police HE they have stolen weapons of endowment police and now serving for the criminals. Is say, No ha there have been neither even ability for check the weapons of endowment own. Worse still for do it with weapons imported”, emphasizes Luis Córdova.
“desperate decision”
According to the former Undersecretary General of Intelligence in Ecuador, Carolina Andrade, the measure established by the president is a reflection of the inability and lack of decision-making in the country’s resources. “Only Yeah come on to see the data historical, he percentage further low of use of weapons of fire in homicides was in he year 2017: the 47.6% of the homicides HE they committed by weapons of fire. He year past, in 2022, this HE increase drastically to the 86%”, underlines the political scientist.
“By other side, us alert this decision desperate in a context political where William Lasso has that survive to a judgment political, a extent desperate for look for trigger a wink to the sectors of extreme right conservatives. AND besides, is a sample of inability of the government central of to have guaranteed the security comprehensive that this in the Constitution as a of their main responsibilities”, stresses Andrade.
He bearing of weapons andno Ecuador this contemplated in the legislation from the years 80, but in 2009, with raphael strap tohe forehead of the Presidency, stayed suspended of mode undefined, No So the tenure of weapons, always low some requirements legal.
