Terrorism in Ecuador is a rare occurrence as the country, despite recurrent periods of economic and political instability, has been traditionally known as a peaceful state in Latin America, unlike its neighbor states; Peru and Colombia, which have suffered widespread violence by insurgent, paramilitary and drug trafficking organizations (all using terror tactics) in different degrees for more than fifty years.
[1][2]Attacks in Ecuador have traditionally been carried out by small domestic organizations (both known and anonymous) as well as, in a lesser degree, foreign Colombian groups operating within Ecuador's borders.
Domestic terrorist groups present in Ecuador, although some have been operationally inactive in the last few years, include the Popular Combatants Group (GCP), the Revolutionary Militia of the People (MRP), the Marxist-Leninist Party of Ecuador, and the ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo!.
[3] AVC was notably active in the 1980s, while both the GCP and MRP variously claimed authorship for a series of attacks in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Foreign groups include the Colombian groups Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN).