Hello welcome to the program. Im adrian sending an a president ial contender assassinated in broad daylight. Fernando via vincent seal is the 3rd electrical candidate to be killed in equitable in a matter of weeks, before the investigative journalist campaigned on mt corruption platform, accusing government officials of having links to organized crime. Ecuador struggling with rise in gainesville, having some drug trafficking. The president has declared a state of emergency and deployed the army, but would it be enough . Have criminal groups taking control of politics and was the shooting a message for other politicians. Well discuss all of this with a guest to just a moment, but 1st a report from the zeros katia lopez hold on this is good. None of the sense youre speaking out against organized crime. In ecuador moments later, the 59 on your old president ial candidate was shot and killed the widespread outrage, followed along with demands for justice. And the shipment is, will not be in the know the candidates and the government must make this a priority. So i still cant believe it, and i cant accept it too. I mean, think of it, like many candidates, if you have the sense you had promised a 5 corruption. But unlike his rivals, he publicly accused the government of having links to organized crime without the we carry data rate and recover the rifle, a machine gun for pistols, 3 grenades, and 4 boxes of munitions. There were also 2 motor bikes and a vehicle reported stone of ecuador. One scene as an oasis of peace in the region, has become a key player in lucrative cocaine trafficking routes to europe. And north america is too good evening for the people. This is a political crime which has all the characteristics of terrorism, and we do not doubt that this murder is an attempt to sabotage the electoral process. The president has declared to 60 days, state of emergency and deployed to the army. As these can be done the through the media. We asked people to vote because with the support of the armed forces and the police, we guarantee the selection will be safe. What people are worried beyond politics . Yes, theres nothing on those. I think that theres not only affects us as citizens, but also as a country, you know, were being watched abroad. I mean, unfortunately, this gives the wrong impression to people who want to come here or invest the police say, the suspected gunman died in custody after exchanging fire with security personnel. At least 6 colombians had been arrested boat. Investigators say a larger criminal network could be behind the assassination the f. B, i has agreed to look into the case via the since yall was not the leading candidate. Polls suggest the place 5th among 8 contenders. Many are now questioning of whos killing was a warning for all politicians, particularly the next president , katia a little bit. So the again, for insights, story the. All right, lets bring it out. Guess from kito, were joined by the peak, a professor of International Relations at the university that san francisco, the quito, and equitable from london have a from hey, a journalist, unless an american offense analyst and from vancouver, were joined by grace john miller, a professor at the school, a Public Policy and Global Affairs of the university of British Columbia and a friend of the late the of a sense youre welcome to you all. Thanks for being with us on inside story grace. Lets start with you. For decades equitable was one of life in americas least violent countries. Now it has a homicide rate higher than that of mexico. Whats going wrong . Is it down to bad luck . Come geography, old bab policy. A hi thing is the boat i have, but yeah, i would rather say the not or where are we missing an extremely we get state incapable of leaving controlling the means of vitamins. It has been going on for a bank at the very least. But as soon as the last 5 years, i would say that the dump, lois have better when i go to the territory, especially in some problems, is that i key to coffee king. Then the police system. Not only you only do a thing and then actually lives on the sensors of the ability to transform these dramatic situation. Not surprisingly, corruption is wrong pond. On and to moments, for example, is the threats of violence are immediately part of any question. When it comes to the voice of the words of trying to face an or at least announce then corruption, the most feasible phase less if theyre not louisiana, he says, didnt denies years, but hes not the only one on these that contract. He said that the, with the, i mean capable to state a weakest state in the last decade or so, and it will be going on. And then theres a, a huge restructuring unless we are talking seriously about the drug war that is going to out of the continent. Probably how much of whats happening right now and i could or could be traced back to the decisions of for president rafael, cut into an ending cooperation with us Drug Enforcement agency, for example, closing the us military base. What about career success is why didnt, why havent they got a grip on the security situation in the country . You would basically uh brook attention that little hopping of pregnancy delay 1995. The one that needs to be said showed the nouns last, jonetta rose was a content which works with this and i look actually mix equal. So the be not even the me said glorious presidency of this all the cup took a little slow list of work with another doctor because hes got to be struck guns. Ive been working with a mixed and that for many years and does made it very difficult for the government to fight. Not we dont know whether mr. Career decision to stop coach could corporate them with the americans and made it easier. What it is clear is that these got tails in, in the destructive those inc and take for the uh, what is probably what, um, what supported by the mexican impulses, if you like. So that was big is difficult to pinpoint that switch point at these level of cooperation between the us on april is responsible for top and left. But if i just do my 3 is that you have the same kind of corporation in other countries. Nothing america. I get the truck at this deal operate because they have a lot of networks and a lot of context on this. A lot of corruption. Im on the Political Class in that respect. I think assume we move usually that these categories response or for the mother of president. Obviously we have a sense of we dont, we dont know yet. We what, what the seems to be clear. Hes the he wasnt cream, you know, mother, depending on the face and nation, we dont know yet except the whole except please, i mean and then the mobile. Why would it be just got out and then in, in the claim responsibility be able to put the said, no, we havent done it. We dont know yet the defense, minnesota, the defense minister said we clearly. So whats happening need for the, the so there are more with the government, the cartels, the primary premium guns, and thats what has to be worked so. Okay, we dont know yet exactly which company is responsible for the organ. This company is definitely a be fine, be such as nation. Ok this before we we, we get into exactly whats going on right now in the president ial election. But what im so im, so im keen just to examine that the roots of, of this crisis, to what extent is this Violent Crimes, gee, and equitable linked to the end of the fox insurgency and neighboring colombia in 2016. Its definitely connected to the the disagreements, right . Thats still dover from columbia into a car door. But this has a much deeper roots in 2003, the cartels from mexico have summits incidental and decided to use ecuador as a base for their operations. Right . So i, but there has become the main basis in latin america for the expert of cocaine. So the us and here of so its just as grace had them, you just said youd send an evolution that exploded the last few years because of the role of the states, not spending the Public Expenditure in the ministry of the interior. The reality that today we have 40 murders a day in that for the at the beginning of 2023. Its 40 murders a day in the culture of 18000000 people and everybodys responsible. The cartels from mexico to legend america, um the government from colorado to last. So current contemporary governments and the family everybody seems to have defined the murder as a crime of state. So its a little too simplistic to just blame it on the car itself. Okay. Grace, would it be fair to describe ecuador as a, as a non co state right now . Is it on the way to becoming a failed state . I hold notes and im following up on what am i going to also say the problem is that nobody is doing anything to restructuring the whole situation. I just think i may, i mean, if you take out the democratic controls of the security forces, the intentions especially. I mean, what do we have and went through a position where all the intelligence in the upper out those it, whether the media die or the parties where do you to wires on how the priority of the put that and then now goals or the drug cartels id be since 1990 is really but and what the career of ministration has been to blame for is to move to hear that. I mean to move that and security part of those into policy guidance. And i have prosecution or, and he jobs. So that is what change i might be cutting the space at the beginning. We can trace back to that by the we have to move from that conversation and that situation into the real cause, the control of the security up or up as i would say, that is the beginning of the restructuring of the police or military forces because they are clearly input intern for the credit, and i think the, all their aspects of, of the issue is independence of the judiciary. Otherwise, theres a d throughout, and then theres no way of going on out if there is no. These basic guarantee that you have and you will have inductions free from fear of buying. And so that is the beginning of probably a process of restructuring on the starting yet again. And to see a different conversation in the upcoming years or starting from now, i would say in the upcoming election, heavier, how far does the reach of the criminal gangs spreading in ecuador, i mean how corrupt acquittals institutions, its politics is the only implicated in it in any of this it could take a look or per a freely without corruption of high levels of di, political levels on police. You cannot operate if theres corruption a if theres no corruption, that corruption, ease and feeds. Uh, you know, is one of the elements in the truck because he used to be able to operate freely um, with impunity. Uh, these people have a lot of money. They bribe uh, you know, pretty decent. They buy the police, et cetera. But also we mustnt forget this just on the 9th of august, the day before he wasnt facing they to me said we every single sit, i quote, please know what the truth is, the premium most drug dealers, illegal minus um white color premium. Thats eve on height, which means that she point can pointed, the police force is probably responsible for the patient because they were not doing enough in some cases because of incompetence in some cases because of corruption. So it is perfectly possible, i believe the police said, i dont know whether they are be by the police level that is level shop person, which i love these cocktails to operate with such impunity. And that needs to be central had already been pointed. This particular issue in relation to the security forces. You know, if i were talking about the quote that a quote for an interview he gave on the 9th of august. So obviously this is, there is a connection between the way the proposal parade, but also how to rupture them, feeds and helps descriptive to a parade in bite pointed to a point load on all the conditions in the region. By the way to do before i ask you another question, do you have anything to add to that . Yeah, id be the scandals of north per generals has been, has been widely covered in the but theyre in media in the us media, international media. Its very clear that the 11th changed, you know, the day before his death of Corruption Scandal with the oil fields that was connected to the 3 former governments from korea and wouldnt know and the current government have less so. So the fact that his family denounced the crime of state indicates the relations and the collaboration between cartels and government officials. Okay. And what will this forthcoming election solve any of equitable as problems with Violent Crime . Who are the front runners . What are they saying about what they do about the situation . It is, its good to keep in mind that in february had municipal elections that were the most violent elections in the history of ecuador. And now the current elections have surpassed the level of violence. We have over 60 politicians suffering violence attacks over the last year. We already feel, ever since it was the last one, but we had before him 10 days before. Um the i got a from mother who was assassinated drapes, the local official. We had 2 candidates for office, for a religious leech about his horse, estimated this last month. There many politicians and elected officials being assassinated over the last few weeks. Now we have an empty seats at the elections coming up. The proposals are limited in the sense that we all the candidates are proposing more Police Presence and more control of the jails from where the cartels operates. But the depths, the roots of the matter is really to corruption. That is institutionalized within the states, and they go back to what grace just mentioned. A few minutes ago the crowd governments words, weve cartels institutionalized per thousands to. So i have some rules that allow cartels to operate freely in the country. And if, if the legal official did not do it out of their own, will they do it out of the madness of threats. And there are very few tools available to change the structures of power. And thats where the problem really lives that allows the courage 1000 devices to continue to operate. Great, what are the implications of via for sense here was about a full this election with the context now become a polarized, as a result of, of, of his death would be of a sense, you have made it through to the 2nd round. So we dont know, i mean, and 3, a candidate square were actually fighting for the 2nd place. Eh, auto. So now holes in there. Yeah. Compare is on. And if im not, nobodys ever since, you know, we didnt know, we dont know if steel because theres almost 60 percent between 50 and 60 percent depending on the policy um, off in decisiveness in the country. So its a country that these deeply designed chances with an actions with the democratic and transitions on the phone rather, why is loose, i want to sign this and who, who is in the patio refined gray . So i, i really thing that is one of the reasons is that he, that is a game changer because it wouldnt force on it. In fact, the man i can tell you more about that. Theres a cold for unity of these amongst a candidates that are running floor the, i would say the centralized democratic tickets. Where and then the agenda of the day at least is this is funny and upheld the democratic principles of have free elections and anything on participation, social participation and song. So i would say that 3 that i mentioned before, although yes, it is on the ever since you were the ones that are really and running for these agenda. All democrats, i found in the democratic principles that probably democratic reform on the way out, i would say is that its a uni deal that front. What are the differences . I mean theres a huge difference between them in terms of agend us and put the gun and the support and song. But his deal, we are an engine that is running against a cold or is running against the centrist as side from the center left to the center, right . All the way to worse something that is a, a more out 3 direction and especially with is in mrs. 3 is that one son is and also another candidate that plays or tries to be the new will can lead they present or inside of other in the who is john thought. So that is the print to go situation and i will, i really thing that the, the and me so we go, he says hes going to change in our squares christmas. We said the beginning of the program, a front of the the, of a sense you, it was a friend of yours, bobas he liked, it was obviously a very brave man. If he didnt give him a chance to, to run the country, how would, how would he have sorted out this mess would he, would he have been, would have taken a hard line to lose the clintons as soon as a long time, more than close friends. But i, i knew i know him, i knew him since i was 19 years of age and that he was a dealer in University Undergrad in the same and social communication under god. But he was always on the wait there. In fact, i have a human ones for this, didnt, i mean i was running, but it didnt body. I think he was running for a certain body as well. And then he was totally fine the good debater. And he will not lose an argument. He was always very stubborn about the fighting for issues regardless of the issue. And then i, i have seen him a lot throughout the years, especially because he was 1st at the forefront of confronting corruption and then the state on enterprise and the runs. They are a company in a further federal level or at the beginning step in and then throughout the years old. And he will top me to because i used to have a column and then they need newspaper and come their seal. So who used to adopt me and say, you know, this is gotten, at least you and you should raise awareness about this and then and awesome. Awesome to me during the correct ministration when he was persecuted for, for the nose and graph 4 Different Cases of corruption. But most importantly, because of the incident in september 32010 when there was a military uprise or on and korea or there, hes rescue from grace pretty quickly. What, what he afraid of a good president . I would say with unity and i dont, i dont believe in cody yes. As theyre not, they are a strong leaders. I will say take advantage. Im probably yes with another help from accommodation. We dont know the leave. He will go into the 2nd wrong, but he definitely wasnt very good. And i just think there in terms of confronting and the sources of corruption and even going from seeing. And lets just say thursday, the National Assembly represent that theyve school, who were part of this Corruption Network that is taking the country nowadays. Okay. Have a, what happens if the country votes for a candidate who says, i know how to fix it . This is its, its my way all the, all the highway a hard line, a dangerous for the country and that thats a very good question. Indeed. I will call you mention john poppy. He cautions as kaylee offered for the but shes in the book it, and now you will, kayla is the person of the shuttle who took a hard line on crime. And now hes been accused of violating human rights on attempts to stay in power longer than he should change. And the constitution on electronic roles and these to topics have moved to me on the the meetings didnt expect. Some us you cited speakers say the have much now sofa according to being and both a couple of a few days ago you only have 4 percent of the vote. But now the question is, what a key, what was, what the cause actually speech even more often such as nation as you go through the 2nd route because nobodys going to within the 1st law, resource site is from the pa to you, the t decent for what reason is i hate with only 26 percent of the whole. So the question is whether mr. Toby wouldnt make it and then run off of the election or the other kind of it, which had me mention the young you have to pay this will certainly wholesale us on a horse that make it. So the thing you would be that if somebody who is on the line will be stable keyless policies make, becomes elected. These could lead to see real a 4 retired young tendencies within that quote, which could be equally dangerous. But also eve, before we got the theyve got to be able to get those mixed up to. So what would cause we didnt think whether these people are very powerful to have a lot of 5 pilots we could create and must have conflict. And the sort of the will look the guns. Oh, they might us here we have to get out with the powerful brought to the child from mexico working with captive. We didnt take weather and that would be very difficult at to provide. So dangerous thats are obviously that will have to be a more hard line approach towards the products to prevent things like live as a snitch wont be. So itd be, itd be, id be sent you from happening again. But at the same time, visit danger. This could be done with all the time you will see sure, let me still get it booked in a quote and sort of of the which would be daniels for the democratic pulses in this. How about the equivalent . So it remains to be seen whether this is going to change. If somebody mentioned one of my colleague and they call the said the game potentially piecing the, the game changer it remains to be seen. Whos going to come 2nd because it going to be a rental more than 50 percent or will 60 percent of the awfully what there is. Dont know who they are going to vote for it brings. It remains to be seen how these people who do not know what to do. Going to vote that for the rental because there is no going to be a clear winner and defend the 1st wrong on the 11th of august about what i, i see and not again agreement that you know. Yeah, its, um, it did the end. These raises many questions, the absence of this phase uh, the stage. The minister of the jury is only spending using executing 80 percent of the spending assigned to the ministry of interior. So do you have sense of the stages, perhaps intentional, allowing a lot of these gangs to upgrade and just such a nation of related things are definitely play a game changer. The question is, who benefits from . Its because its the extreme left or so frame does left, right, degrees mall weve seen thats benefiting from it. But perhaps because theyre seen as benefiting from it. Its the other side. It was actually benefiting from drapes. So to sort of highs and may recover, a lot of the boats that were assigned that were going to go for related things. So its not clear yet who will benefit from it. It is clear that the population is very upset about this killing. It shows the level of vulnerability of ecuador items, of violence, and the Term Disability of violence and the lack of action from the state. So people will vote in reaction to this killing and the other 4000 killings from the beginning of the year. The question is, who will inherits, develops from july the same course . Is there any reason for optimism to, to the people of equity or have any reason to be optimistic about the future as the country headed for, for the violence of a k arsic . Few years i had to think of i dont think there recently, sir. Optimism to be honest and, and this until i send them accepted forces of the country and it gets united and im really confront this is and not all im, im gracious them off. Keep bikes on corruption within the system because only a democratic and national on unit d dot is it because priority is 1st and foremost to recover the state to restore the state capacity to control the means of force. Nothing will happen because as i said is not just a strong my role to do such a thing on the we are, i wouldnt say on an action that is only going to not for me whether wins as president is going to not just for 18 months so the agenda for change on reform in div needs a lot of the unity needs. The tape of social forces is even society, organizations organize, im not organized, but also the different organizations that are running to, to hold did the highest offices in the state. So its not about the re speak new, but there is a way out, but it will really take no order. Was problem. None of suffering this deal before we come to see a light out of the toner. Okay. That im afraid we must end it. Manufacturing dates of being with us by the way, the pick heavier from hey, and grace jeremy little. Thanks for watching. You can see the program again at any time by going to the websites around to 0 dot com for further discussion. You can join us on our Facebook Page at facebook dot com, forward slash a inside story out. Of course, you can join the conversation on twitter handle at a j inside story from me, adrian said again for the team here. And so thanks for watching. Well see you again, bye for the its the learn learn. We become to inquire with Louis University and discover how to frame and solve present future challenges. Ok. On our lot to me, your boots in wont be attending a summit in south africa with an international warrant out for the rest for suspected war. Fine. Can you travel anywhere . Bowed and told stories from across asia in the pacific. 101 east. Its crazy. D issues affecting the place most populous region. The rates for the white house keeps up with donald trump take pump in the republic and policies for the rebates or hold his own. Private people impala investigates. The top click impacts on ukraines fragile items, and thats the temperature of solar and biodiversity plummets the Global Environmental facility to coordinate financing for international action. Assembled in canada focused on l. G 0. Across the us. Millions of americans rely on conservative talk. Radio shows for the use of the detainment. These are all issues for real people. The listening post tunes in us is talk radio, divide in america, there is no room. 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