UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights Olivier De Schutter cited poverty on Friday as the “root cause” of violence and instability in Ecuador. De Schutter urged Ecuador’s leaders to continue their efforts to fight back against the drug-related crime that has engulfed the region.

Following his recent two-week visit to Ecuador, the UN’s poverty expert stated that, “Poverty is a root cause of the surging violence and insecurity in Ecuador.” He also stressed that limited employment options, coupled with poor education, has made young people, “easy recruits for criminal gangs” which subsequently extort small businesses and create fear and despair in the community.

In response, he believes that authorities should pursue policies that promote investment into education, healthcare and social protection.

These statements follow a wave of recent attacks in Ecuador, including the murder of prosecutor Leonardo Palacios in June, the murder of political activist Pedro Briones in August and the “appalling assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.” The Special Rapporteur praised Ecuador’s treatment of refugees, but highlighted that poverty levels in rural areas is roughly 70%, and is particularly high among indigenous groups. Speaking on poverty, he clarified:

Schools in Ecuador are not only unsafe; the quality of education is so low that they fail to compensate for the disadvantages experienced by children from underprivileged backgrounds […] And despite more money in the pot, a poorly updated social registry means officials are struggling to ensure social protection benefits reach those who need them the most.

The Special Rapporteur will present his final report on Ecuador to the Human Rights Council in June 2024.