Durán: A Window into Ecuador’s Organized Crime Explosion — Virtual Panel

About the event

Once a bustling commercial hub, Durán has become ground zero for Ecuador’s alarming surge in criminal violence. With a record-breaking homicide rate of 147 per 100,000 in 2023, this coastal city exemplifies Ecuador’s rapid descent into criminal chaos. But what’s driving this transformation, and are government efforts to reverse these trends working?

To accompany the release of our investigation “Durán: A Window into Ecuador’s Organized Crime Explosion,” InSight Crime will host a virtual event on September 26th. Join us to explore how systemic corruption, chronic neglect, and the rise of criminal gangs  have reshaped Durán’s landscape. We’ll delve into the city’s critical role in cocaine trafficking, the impact of land trafficking on its criminal ecosystem, and the complex relationships between gangs and local communities. We’ll also explore two important case studies – one of a criminal broker and another of a long-time gang leader – that reveal how Durán’s (and Ecuador’s) criminal landscape has evolved in the last decade. 

Live event in Spanish. Prior registration is not required.