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Soriek  1yr ago (text post)   1204 thread views

Transnational Thursdays 21

This is a weekly thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or IR history. I usually start off with coverage of some current events from a mix of countries I follow personally and countries I think the forum might be interested in. Feel free to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the the Ukraine War, or even just whatever you’re reading. Megathread for the Israel-Palestine conflict is here though if you want to talk about it in this thread as well feel free.

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Ecuador

I’ve covered in previous installations the (presumed) cartel assassination of a backbencher in the Presidential election, Fernando Villavicencio. Now 7 of the suspects in his murder have turned up dead. Either way, the cartel’s plan to intimidate Ecuadorian politicians may have backfired, with Americans offering military assistance, and now both candidates in the election this Saturday have vowed to pursue stricter security measures against drug trafficking if they win.

The two presidential candidates in the upcoming Oct. 15 election - business heir Daniel Noboa and leftist Luisa Gonzalez - have said something needs to be done. Both have promised to militarize ports and airports to fight the drug trafficking. Alongside the economy, security is a top concern, voters say.

Gonzalez, a protege of former leftist President Rafael Correa, who led the first round but is now polling slightly behind her rival, said during a televised debate earlier this month she would use the military to retake control of ports and prisons, though she did not give details of her plan.

Meanwhile, Noboa, whose father is banana magnate Alvaro Noboa, has said he will use technology to support military protection of exports on highways and install scanners at toll stations and ports.

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