The Office for Security Cooperation (OCS) has invested around $ 60 million in the country in security and humanitarian assistance. However, the wave of violence and murders related to drug trafficking has not stopped increasing.
In 2018, in the government of Lenín Moreno, former Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrín announced the opening and operation of the Office of Security Cooperation (OCS) with the United States, in order to exchange information between both nations, especially in the matter of intelligence.
At the time, Jarrín pointed out that US experts will come to the country for short periods, to work with Ecuadorian specialists. During the announcement, the former official also highlighted the acquisition of military equipment such as weapons, radars and six helicopters.
According to information from the U.S. Embassy, During the five-year planning, since the opening of the OCS, about $ 60 million has been invested in programs that include military aspects.
What is the OCS?
The Accountability Report of the Ministry of Defence of 2020 points out that the presence of this office and the collaboration of the Political-Military section of the Embassy of USA, “Allows the development and management of a wide spectrum of strategic issues, technical consultancies, training and training, (…) military exercises, military cooperation, etc. for the benefit of national interests ”.
In addition, the spokeswoman for the United States Embassy, Gabrielle Guimond, details that the OCS, through the United States Southern Command and the US Embassy in Ecuador, works with Armed forces of the country to achieve objectives related to “stop drug trafficking, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, increase knowledge of its own airspace and maritime domain of Ecuador, build Ecuador’s cyber defense capacity, growth of military cooperation and strengthening the development of institutional capacity ”, quotes the information sent by the spokesperson.
For the expert on Security, and former director of Army Intelligence, Crnl. Mario Pazmiño, the OCS it is essential for the fight against transnational organized crime and drug trafficking. “This office had a dual purpose: to have an early warning on aircraft and illegal trafficking that were approaching or leaving Ecuadorian territory, and to obtain and exchange information quickly to be able to act with aircraft or vessels that were leaving or entering Ecuadorian territory.” , mentions.
Investment
According to information from Gabrielle guimond, SCO cooperation is based on military programs mutual collaboration, for example: military training, knowledge exchanges, donation of equipment as well as construction projects and humanitarian assistance to the country’s population.
For this, the Security Cooperation Office has invested in Ecuador around $ 60 million since its opening without specifying the amounts allocated to each area.
However, in September 2021, during the signing of the regional information exchange memorandum of understanding to combat the drug trafficking (CSII), The United States Embassy said that the OCS, since its inception has allocated $ 2.8 million in humanitarian assistance, $ 1.4 million in military assistance and $ 27.7 million in equipment and support to Ecuador “To combat illegal operations and strengthen the defense of the country.”
A lot of investment, little impact
The information from the embassy cites that, “this cooperation has made it possible to improve the results of the FF.AA. against drug trafficking and illicit operations, thus creating a benefit for the defense of Ecuador ”, without detailing numbers nor figures, for example, of operations, amount or type of equipment delivered, or kind of results.
Until October 2021, the country seized drugs, the largest annual figure in history: 159.9 tons. This was also confirmed by the current director in charge of the National Service for Comprehensive Attention to Adults Deprived of Liberty, Fausto Cobo, during a television interview.
However, for Pazmiño, “this Office of Cooperation continues does not have the effect or the impact that the Ecuadorian State should have and exploit,” he affirms, however, that the policies of the governments of the day remain in ‘mid-career’.
“With each president, new ideas are discussed and new objectives are focused on without considering what has been done, which may have errors, but they were clear conceptions of how to better expand a comprehensive security strategy for the country,” he concludes.
For his part, Assemblyman Ramiro Narváez, president of the Comprehensive Security Commission of the National Assembly, said that from the Commission that he presides, they will request detailed information on the Security Cooperation Office (OCS) to the Minister of Defense, Luis Hernández, to specify data and information. (MFU)
Según la Policía Nacional, en lo que va del año, se han incautado más de 176 toneladas de alcaloides en todo el país.
“I am seriously concerned about something that I read in an investigative report and that is that since the time of Serrano (former Minister of the Interior) there was a pact between organized crime and the State and that is why we lived in relative peace. If this is so, the security situation in the country is very serious “, Gral. Paco Moncayo, former mayor of Quito.
