Escaped Gang Leader Sparks Chaos in Ecuador

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This chapter discusses the recent events in Ecuador where the leader of a powerful gang escaped from a maximum security prison, leading to chaos and violence across the country. The government declared a state of emergency and launched a manhunt to find the escaped criminal, while also dealing with riots, bombings, and other criminal activities carried out by gang members.

Growing cocaine demand and booming coca leaf cultivation is fueling unrest in Ecuador. The Economist’s Ana Lankes and Will Freeman of the Council on Foreign Relations explain what’s happening in the place that until recently was Latin America’s safest country.

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard with help from Isabel Angell, engineered by David Herman, and hosted by Noel King.

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