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Story summary
- Ecuador recorded 9,161 homicides in 2025, a 30% rise from 2024, with a rate of 50.6 per 100,000 inhabitants.
- The surge stems from organized crime and drug trafficking, aided by Ecuador's location between Colombia and Peru in drug networks.
- Military and police responses have not curbed violence, given a weak judicial system and fragmented intelligence operations.
- Six regions account for 85% of homicides, concentrating criminal activity in strategic port areas.
