Ecuador internal conflict and violence surge

In mid‑2026 Ecuador’s interior ministry reported a record 3,909 forced‑disappearance cases for the first half of the year, the highest semi‑annual total since 2020. Most reports came from Guayas, Pichincha and Manabí, with women constituting over half of the complaints and a sharp rise in missing minors. Human‑rights groups protested, demanding that the Ministry of Defense comply with a December 2025 Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights resolution on the matter.

The forced‑disappearance spike occurs against the backdrop of an internal armed conflict declared in January 2024, under which the government has deployed military forces, built a high‑security prison and repeatedly invoked states of emergency. Analysts note that 2025 saw 9,216 homicides—a more than 30 % increase over the previous year—driven by fragmented criminal gangs expanding into illegal mining and transnational drug trafficking. In Guayaquil, gangs are actively recruiting adolescents, creating a “school of hitmen” environment and contributing to a surge in youth‑related killings.

Together, the data illustrate a worsening security situation in Ecuador, marked by escalating disappearances, homicide rates, and gang recruitment of minors as the state’s militarized response intensifies.