Ecuador declares state of emergency over crime wave

Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso has declared a 60-day state of emergency in the South American country on October 18, 2021, due to rise in violent drug crimes.
President Lasso has pointed drug trafficking and consumption as the main drivers behind an increase in murders, home burglary, thefts of vehicles and goods, and muggings.
Under the emergency measures, the armed forces and police would work together to carry out “arms checks, inspections, 24-hour patrols, and drug searches, among other actions.