Ecuador’s economy is largely based on exports of oil, bananas, quinoa, coffee, gold and other agricultural products, and the government is investing heavily in the cacao sector.
Ecuador was once a haven of peace. However, drug violence has risen sharply in recent years, along with the power of criminal gangs.
Today, a large swathe of the population is also a victim of extortion. Large and small shopkeepers, and even street vendors, have to pay ‘vacuna’ or protection money to the local mafia if they want to avoid trouble.
Bribery and backhanders enable the criminals to continue their illegal practices unimpeded.
What’s more, the poor economic situation and the increased inequality are also making a bad situation worse. Measures to cut social spending have eroded the state institutions.
This situation doesn’t make working with our partners any easier. Because of the negative travel advice, we are unable to organise project visits at the moment. As an alternative, we are regularly organising webinars on various themes and continuing to support them with remote advice.
