Narco Violence comes to Qito: “They want to take over our sector”
Fence parts with wall houses, metal doors and parks are completely fences. Sonda, the south of the Ecuador’s capital Qitto, has turned its public places into forts. The neighboring leader Jose Calderone, opens the doors to enter the narrow street, leads to houses. If he doesn’t live there no one will enter. Like its street, there are hundreds of people protected from the accident with obstacles. This is the way to face A wave of violence It will destroy them. Neighbors look at surprise as there is an armed conflict every month. There are tests: killings, firing and busy businesses.
The Violence in Ecuador increased significantly In areas like Solanda. Police data said that Parish recorded only nine violent deaths in 2024. And there are already ten people until May 13 this year. From Sonda Contrasts. With the population of 150,000 residents – one of the dense of Qitto – the growth of trade and the growth of crimes. Some blocks from Jose Calderone’s home are Jota Street, which is one of the most contradictory. There is a business with someone else. Clothing stores, markets, restaurants and bars are practically operated all day without rest. It is on Saturday afternoon and the passengers enter the road and try to eat in the carts arranged in the sidewalks. All have to live with violence.
The head of the Eloy Alfaro district activities, police Gabriel Rosero – has parishes like Sonda – recent months of killings. This is a dispute between criminal gangs. It is already common to hear that shooting or slaughter Territory control for microtropicing. Jose Kalderone knows it. It is enough to walk a few meters away from the house to meet the proof of violence: what is the bakery, today an abandoned house for bursting glass and walls bullets. This place is not uninhabited after the attack. Those who look at him.
“In Sonda, these crimes have been seen since last year. We have a rude calm, here nothing has happened,” said Kalderon. “But there is enough trade and groups want to take over our sector,” he said. A recent attack on May 9, two people were shot dead on the street. Christina’s son – liking not to disclose his last name for security – a witness to the crime. “Fortunately or death, my son spent at that time. I can’t send my son anymore to walk four blocks at night.”
Violence in Ecuador has increased in recent years, and does not show 2025 signs of improvement. Ecuador recorded 3,094 deliberate healing from January to April this year, 58% in the same period last year. Against 2023 – the most bloody year in the country’s history – the same four months with 2,301 cases, the current figures are expected to become the most violent year of 2025.
The Violence in Ecuador. Between January 1 and May 13, 2025, 94 homicides were reported in the Metropolitan district of Qitto, which increased by 32.4% compared to 71 cases reported in the same period 2024.
Security expert Pedro Manasalwas said that the aggravation of violence in the sectors such as Soanda, to some extent, has focused their efforts on the collection of organized criminal groups. “As a result of the expansion of these groups and gangs, there was a terrain war for microtropic control,” he explained.
The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-Toke) member Carolina andrade agree that the rise of violence is Quito as a consumer market. “In the event of these violent incidents, these groups that manage distribution and supply networks for domestic use,” said Andrade. “They want to take over a parish,” said Jose Calderon. He answers it immediately: “Since it is good, where to sell, who should sell and what is yet, the control is less.”
The use and sale of Drugs Shades in this field is not innovative. Christina, one of the residents of the surrounding, said that schoolchildren were also manipulated to sell drugs. “Most children had to be brought out of the organizations. Children were already threatened and vaccinated,” he said. With this, Jose Calderone agrees, a few months ago, a woman invited some young men to eat some young men and “you told you to make money, so I will give you some packages, you will sell.” Calderon says that miners have alerted her about what happened: “We contacted her with a team of neighbors and said: ‘If he is going to do so here, he will do it wrong and go out.’ Fifteen days later he left the sector. ”
Handsalvas also pointed out Police lack of surveillance and control It opened the way to work with criminal groups without retaliation: “The punishment allows the population to be more negligent in front of the population and the authorities. In addition, it is suitable for expansion of other relevant crimes such as exploitation, kidnapping, hands and people.” Andrade adds another problem: the high rotation and lack of resources of the police. “Everything is concentrated in the coastal cities. How is the situation. This affects the resources supporting the tasks in other continents.”
The neighbors tried to talk to the authorities, but found the answer. And when they have work tables with the police, “bosses will not last for two months. We plan to work agenda and change them for a month, it has touched it from Zero again,” Jose complained.
At the moment, Sonda residents stick to some peace places such as the Equavoli Court – the local volleyball variant of the environment. There they meet every weekend and play till the night. It is one of some of the corners of Sitadel’s other gardens and bars such as apples. But the residents cannot say exactly how much time there is.
