in a moment where political class in general is not very popular in ecuador. and there is, as you say, a major security problem, too, isn t there? yeah, there is many factors behind this situation. in 2022, more than 4,000 people died because of violence. and just to put this in context, let s remember that in the last decade, for example, ecuador was one of the safest countries in latin america. it was lovely when i was there not very long ago 14,15 years ago. absolutely delightful. it s extraordinary to me to see what s happened to it. the business of drugs is booming and colombia, our neighbour, which is in the north of ecuador, is producing more cocaine than ever. in the last years, ecuador has transformed from a transit country of cocaine to a country where cocaine is stocked, is processed and then distributed.
very popular in ecuador. and there is, as you say, a major security problem, too, isn t there? yeah, there is many factors behind this situation. in 2022, more than 4,000 people died because of violence. and just to put this in context, let s remember that in the last decade, for example, ecuador was one of the safest countries in latin america. it was lovely when i was there not very long ago 14,15 years ago. absolutely delightful. it s extraordinary to me to see what s happened to it. the business of drugs is booming and colombia, our neighbour, which is in the north of ecuador, is producing more cocaine than ever. in the last years, ecuador has transformed from a transit country of cocaine to a country
where you cannot tell if it is an economic issue, if it is a political issue, it is a social confrontation, no. it s a systemic crisis. the latest chapter of this crisis is the episode and the tension between the executive power and the congress. the president guillermo lasso decided in the middle of an impeachment process, where he was accused of abuse of public funds, which he denies, he decided to trigger article 148 of the constitution of ecuador. this article allows the president to dissolve the congress and this triggers a new election process. and this is happening in a moment where the political class in general is not very popular in ecuador. and there is, as you say, a major security problem as well. yes, there is many factors behind the situation. in 2022 more than 4,000 people died because of violence. and just to put this in context, let s remember that in the last decade, for example, ecuador was one of the safest countries in latin america. it was lovely, when i was ther
and a year ago we saw the migrants under the bridge in del rio, the border patrol is better at screening, processing and transporting out these migrants. but yet they keep coming and we can go now and show you as you mentioned that exclusive footage we shot over in camp in mexico, just across the river where we are, migrants keep coming in droves. majority of which from venezuela, 90% or more southern border and in mexico they say they are issuing tens of thousands of migrants to keep streaming so. mexico is a transit country, not really helping us stopping the flood that extends obviously south of mexico. meanwhile, i want to show you the dangers of this humanitarian situation. this is some drone footage late yesterday. you can see the migrants on the mexican side on flotation devices, they are tangled in the weeds, some can t swim, it is a very, very dangerous precarious
saying that the false that there s no part in mexico that is in the control of the cartels. i wished more people in this administration would do that when it comes to the border security and the president of mexico, he knows the cartels are in control especially in the southern border and different parts of sinaloa, different parts of mexico that the cartels are clearly in control and when you can get people out of prison at will and the cartel can basically attack police stations at will and get people out of jail, that s an indication of what s going on. the president knows it down there and he can t admit it because he want tourists to continue to flow in. griff: chief, having spent so much time in the border, there s a real frustration that amlo of mexico is allowing that country to be a transit country for migrants from all over the world ultimately headed with one destination and that is to cross our border illegally.