Ecuador has been placed under a state of emergency due to escalating violence and gang-related activities, causing concerns among citizens and foreign observers. The country was previously known for its tranquility and had even been listed as one of the '52 places to go' by The New York Times. However, recent events such as armed raids on a television station and a rise in assassinations have raised alarm bells.
The current situation in Ecuador is said to be linked to the troubles on the United States' southern border. Cartels from Colombia and Mexico are said to be expanding their operations into Ecuador, destabilizing the nation. This has prompted former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger to express his concern, noting that the United States has often neglected its own hemisphere's foreign policy for the past few decades.
