1-800 EXTORTION is the number that the state of Ecuador encourages citizens to call if they have been victims of an infamous extortionary method colloquially referred to as “vaccines” (“vacunas” in Spanish). Extortionists collect vaccine payments from local businesses periodically, charging them for the promise of “protection.” Cases of extortion in Ecuador have been steadily […]
Tag: Ecuador
Why is Ecuador Working With Gangs?
Once known as an “island of peace,” Ecuador has descended into seemingly irreparable violence. In 2023 alone, the police recorded a striking 8,000 deaths in Ecuador, which was eight times more than the number of deaths recorded in 2018. Ecuador’s recent homicide rate greatly surpasses those of Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico—in fact, Ecuador currently has […]