Ecuador: Insecurity and drug crime hamper exporters

Insecurity in Ecuador is hurting exporters in various sectors, including bananas. According to the Corporation of Exporters Associations of Ecuador (Cordex), at least 63 people associated with the export of bananas, shrimp and cocoa were killed by organized crime groups in 2022, and another 1,500 were injured during attacks. EastFruit writes about this with reference to Reuters. “Our biggest concern is the lack of security,” Cordex President Jose Antonio Camposano said last Wednesday. “Each year, the industries represented here spend at least $100 million on security…because the state cannot provide us with it.” Camposano added that Ecuadorian shrimp exporters have been forced to hire armed guards to transport feed, with at least 12 roadside attacks reported in the past month. Banana and cocoa exporters have been hit hard this year by drug shipments. The government of President Guillermo Lasso is fighting an increase in crime and violence on the streets and in prisons, which the ...