The Minister of the Interior, Mónica Palencia, spoke about crime in Ecuador and the operation at a party on Vía a la Costa.
The Government of Daniel Noboa is close to completing six months in office. In that period, the fight against criminal groups has been the main letter of the Executive, although the massacres continue in Manabí, Guayas and other provinces.
The Minister of the Interior, Mónica Palencia, referred to this aspect on May 13, 2024 and stated that “they have achieved a 99% decrease (in crime), compared to the first months of Guillermo Lasso’s Government.
These statements were made to local media in Guayaquil, three days after the arrest of 34 people at a drug party on Vía a la Costa, in which firearms and the leader of a criminal gang were found.
“Measurement” of crime
In her statements, Minister Palencia stated that the Government will not end ” overnight ” with the “criminal state” that exists in Ecuador.
However, the official stated that the Executive carries out “measurements” to evaluate the actions taken to combat insecurity.
“We carry out mediation and we have achieved, in the same period with respect to the previous Government, a decrease of 99%,” said Palencia.
Vía a la Costa party is “narcoculture”
Palencia also referred to the operation carried out at a party held on Vía a la Costa, in Guayas, on May 10.
In the raid, nearly forty firearms, a bulletproof vest, three bullet magazines, 1,306 cartridges, communication devices, mobile phones and cash were seized, according to police sources.
33 of the 34 people involved received preventive detention . Among them, Celso Moreira, alleged drug trafficker and Federico Gómez, who would be a ringleader of Los Águilas.
Regarding this, the Minister of the Interior stated that the events “reveal a narcoculture.” And she added that it has become “difficult to recognize the actors who are involved in criminal activity” in the country.
