One of the causes of the failure of the measure is due to the lack of laws that have stalled in the National Assembly.
On Monday, October 18, 2021, the president Guillermo Lasso declared a state of exception in Ecuador, as part of the National Security Plan in the face of the increase in crime and violent deaths.
Although the Government declared a security emergency for 60 days, the Constitutional Court (CC) reduced it to 30, since “the Executive he did not justify the reasons for it to last two months, ”said the CC.
But despite the more than 30,000 police control operations cops and military, Since the declaration of the state of emergency, there have been 110 people violently murdered nationwide.
Only in Guayas, where 70% of violent deaths are registered, there have been 42 of these deaths.
To this is added that, during the five days of the November holiday, there were 49 crimes across the country.
Without laws the state of exception is useless
The Ministry of Defence next to Armed forces They presented three bills to the Assembly in the Lenin Moreno government.
The projects were: Code Organic State Security; Navigation, Safety Management and Maritime Protection Law Organic Law of Personnel and Discipline of the Armed Forces During the Executive and Legislative period 2017-2021
Of these, only the Navigation, Safety Management and Maritime Protection Law was approved at the end of May 2021, days before Guillermo Lasso assumed the presidency.
Alberto Santamaría, a sociologist and security expert, says that as organized crime gains ground, states of exception cannot act on their own without supporting legislation.
In the case of Organic Code of State Security, once approved – Santamaría details – the structure, organization and operation of the State Security System could be defined, with investment in internal security and intelligence. “Today everyone runs to the same place when there is an emergency, if something happens in the prisons all the forces go to their exteriors and first filters, then citizen security is neglected,” says the expert.
This would go hand in hand with the other pending law: Organic Law of Personnel and Discipline of the Armed Forces, that it would regulate the military professional career regime, the selection and training of aspiring officers or troop members; as well as the disciplinary regimes of the military personnel of the Armed Forces.
Without eagerness to generalize, it is necessary that the Armed Forces regulate their members from the beginning, their behavior and thus avoid painful situations such as that of the military trying to enter prohibited objects into prisons. This framework would serve as the basis for the recruitment of prison guides, ”Santamaría highlights.
To confiscate is not to combat drug trafficking
Mario Pazmiño, former head of military intelligence, also criticizes the lack of speed in laws that structure the role and investment of military intelligence plans; as well as the delays to send the Law that authorizes the shooting down planes who are flying illegally in Ecuadorian airspace.
The Government has not specified a date for the presentation of the project, but there have been advances that it will be the official legislative bloc (CREO) that will present it and not the Presidency.
But meanwhile, both experts detail that there is an error in the official message, which assumes that drug seizures are ‘coups’ against drug trafficking when “what they represent are indicators to trace a work route and not believe that the work is done ”, Says Santamaría.
According to data from the Antinarcotics Directorate of the National Police, between January and October 2021 they were seized 159.9 tons of drugs such as cocaine, base paste, heroin, and marijuana.
This number, unfinished in 2021, will be the largest in national history after the 128 tons seized in 2020. (AVV)
National security laws, ‘stalled’ in the Assembly
- Organic Code of State Security: presented in October 2018. It is in the review stage for first debate.
- Armed Forces Personnel and Discipline Law: presented in August 2019. The report is ready for second debate, although no date has been set.
- Law to shoot down planes that are flying illegally in Ecuadorian airspace: announced in October 2021, it has not been delivered to the Assembly.
