14MAY24- "In the last three days from Friday to Monday, May 13, there have been four massacres that left more than 20 people murdered. The crimes have been concentrated in three coastal provinces, where violence does not let up: Manabí, Guayas and Santa Elena.

These are the same provinces that were among the five that President Daniel Noboa included in the state of exception , decreed on April 30. The argument behind the measure focused on the need to address the increase in violence, although without providing further details in this regard. El Oro and Los Ríos were also on the list. However, on May 10, the Constitutional Court did not endorse the decree and declared it unconstitutional.

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This occurs in a context in which the Government affirms that homicides have decreased. Last week, the Minister of the Interior, Mónica Palencia, in an interview on Contacto Directo assured that there had been a 26% reduction in violent deaths compared to the previous year, which is true in general terms. However, why does violence persist in certain provinces? Here the details.

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VIOLENCE PERSISTS ON THE COASTAL PROFILE, THE DRUG ROUTE

If we compare the evolution of violent deaths until May 2023 and 2024, the results agree with those provided by the Minister of the Interior: a slight reduction has been observed, minus 17%. Until this month last year, 2,548 violent deaths were recorded in Ecuador. In contrast, this year, to date, 2,094 homicides have been reported nationwide.

However, provinces like Manabí show a less encouraging trend. In recent days, there has been a significant increase in violence.

In a period of just 24 hours , two massacres were recorded that left a tragic death toll of eight victims . On Sunday, during the celebration of Mother's Day, the first event occurred in Tosagua , where four people lost their lives when a group of individuals opened fire inside a beauty salon in the center of the canton.

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On Monday, the violence continued in the province with another incident. Four men were shot outside a mechanical workshop in Manta. Authorities found 28 bullet casings at the scene, evidence of the violent attack.

With this, the province has a total of 309 violent deaths, exceeding the 276 registered in the same period of the previous year.

A similar episode occurs in the province of Santa Elena, where early this Saturday, May 11, eight people were murdered in an armed attack at the El Ídolo bar in the Pechiche compound, in the Chanduy parish.

According to local media , with this massacre there are 76 violent deaths so far this year in the peninsular province. While until this date in 2023, 71 homicides were recorded.

On Sunday, in addition to the massacre in Tosagua, another was also recorded in the canton of Daule, in the province of Guayas, where five people were murdered. Among the victims were a man and his son, who were traveling on a bicycle.

Although until April, the province of Guayas did register a significant reduction in violent deaths from 925 to 791, there is a common factor that these provinces share, they are all located on the coast.

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According to Jean Paúl Pinto, a specialist in security and intelligence issues, the coastal area has become the epicenter of violence due to its relevance as an entry and exit route for drugs. "What it tells us is that the business continues and does not stop," says Pinto.

"In this period, we have observed an increase in the fight for territorial control. The business continues to be profitable, and it is precisely in these areas where the killings are concentrated," adds the expert.

In recent statements, Minister Palencia highlighted that, despite the fact that the Constitutional Court did not approve the new state of exception, the Police are implementing other strategies to combat the violence that persists in these territories:

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"THERE ARE FIVE PROVINCES THAT CONTINUE TO PRESENT PRIORITY PROBLEMS, WHICH WERE THE ONES THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD DECLARED IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY. NOW THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THIS TOOL, WE ARE WORKING HARD ON INVESTIGATIONS, EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND THE CONFIGURATION OF TWO GROUPS (FICE AND FIAC), PALENCIA.

What explains the new massacres is a resurgence of violence, which according to the expert, reaffirms that the apparent period of calm that followed the declaration of the internal armed conflict was only temporary.

Regarding militarization, according to Pinto, this has not been a lasting solution to reduce violence in these provinces. He points out that security problems are structural and that, as long as no project is started to alleviate unemployment and the lack of access to education for young people, increases in violence will continue."

https://www.ecuavisa.com/la-noticia-a-fondo/violencia-persiste-cuatro-masacres-en-una-semana-perfil-costanero-GC7316811