The security crisis in Ecuador generated reactions in Costa Rica. Former president Laura Chinchilla expressed her concern about the situation in the Latin American country and the situation Costa Rica is going through, which could lead to something similar.
Chinchilla Miranda, compared through a publication on networks, the behavior of the homicide rate in Costa Rica and Ecuador, to demonstrate the parallelism between the two countries.
Data compiled and published by the former president indicate that the homicide rate (per 100,000 inhabitants) went from 12.8 in 2022 to 18 in 2023, in Costa Rica. This represents an increase of 40.6%. In Ecuador, it rose from 27 to 40, that is, an increase of 48% in the same period.
“Until recently, both nations were among the five safest in Latin America,” Chinchilla published on Tuesday, January 9. She also indicated that both countries have suffered a deterioration in security linked to organized crime. In addition, they led in the 2022-2023 period with the highest growth in their homicide rate.
“I have been warning about this, in a constructive effort, together with a group of security experts, but the response from the authorities has been to attack and discredit,” Chinchilla wrote.
Ecuador’s Crisis
On Tuesday, December 9, Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa declared the country in “internal armed conflict”. He ordered military forces to “neutralize” narco-criminal gangs. The sudden announcement was in response to an intensification of attacks by criminal groups on the country’s institutions.
The “straw that broke the camel’s back,” in a country that for months has been seeing how little by little the narco has been penetrating its system, occurred on Tuesday.
A group of men with rifles and grenades broke into the live TV channel TC Television, located in Guayaquil. On January 8, President Noboa had already declared a 60-day state of emergency due to the kidnapping of police officers, attacks on the press, and prison riots.
Costa Rica’s Situation
Last year, the Judicial Investigation Organism (OIJ) counted 907 murders, a historic figure in the country. Murders are becoming more gruesome and brutal and are being perpetrated by young people.
Communities are beginning to experience phenomena such as simulated shootings in schools or colleges, or the charging of “tolls” to neighborhood residents to be able to circulate in their communities.
“Will the tragedy in Ecuador make our government authorities act instead of accusing and polemicizing?” concluded the former head of state.
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Ileana Fernandez
