[1] Ecuador is uniquely positioned to facilitate maritime drug trafficking given its location between these two countries and its ports on the Pacific coast.

Additionally, Ecuador's use of the United States dollar makes it easier for gangs to launder money.

[5] Inter-gang conflicts began after the murder on 28 December 2020 of Jorge Luis Zambrano, leader of the criminal syndicate Los Choneros, considered one of the oldest and most dangerous in the country.

[7][6][8] A 2022 report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said that the government had "lost control" of its prison system.

[13] The murder rate of 46.5 homicides per 100,000 residents that year was the highest in Ecuador's history.