Escalation of Violence and Government Crackdown on Cartels in Ecuador

Ecuador has become the deadliest country in South America with drug gangs and their Mexican cartel bosses murdering people, detonating car bombs and terrorising communities.

The violence exploded earlier this year with gangs promising insurrection after the president of Ecuador put in place a nationwide crackdown following the escape of a drug lord from prison, and armed attack on a TV station.

On this edition of Sky News Daily, Tom Cheshire speaks to our chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, who has had rare access to a prison in the coastal city of Esmeraldas, as the government tries to get a handle on the violence that's taken over Ecuador.

Producer: Sydney Pead
Assistant producers: Iona Brunker, Evan Dale
Promotion Producer: Jada-Kai Meosa John
Editor: Philly Beaumont