Crime in Ecuador

CRIME:


Crime is a serious problem in Ecuador, and visitors should be alert and cautious. Non-violent crime is common: hundreds of Americans are robbed every year in Ecuador. Violent crime has increased in recent years. Thieves and small gangs armed with guns or knives are now sometimes active even in smaller cities such as Otavalo, Manta, and Cuenca. Tourists have been robbed at gunpoint on beaches and along hiking trails. Incidents of rape have increased. Shootings, kidnappings and carjackings are still relatively rare, but American citizens have been victimized by those crimes in 2007. The Ecuadorian Government has increased police patrols in tourist areas, but travelers should remain alert to their surroundings and maintain constant control of personal belongings.

Travelers should avoid wearing expensive-looking jewelry and watches. Avoid deserted beaches, hiking trails, and infrequently traveled roads, as well as the interior regions of large city parks, particularly at night.. Robberies on public buses are a continuing problem. The Embassy recommends that visitors use legitimate taxicabs (yellow, with meters) to travel around the larger cities. Public buses can be dangerous – both from a traffic safety and personal security point of view.

Pickpockets and other petty thieves are particularly active in public markets, airports, bus terminals, restaurants, and crowded streets. Backpackers are frequently targeted for robbery and “snatch and grabs”. Always be aware of your surroundings, and try to not travel alone. Thefts from vehicles are common. Do not leave anything of value in plain view in a car, including sunglasses or sports equipment. Carjackings have occurred in both rural and urban areas. Visitors are advised to drive with doors locked and windows rolled up.

In Quito, travelers should be particularly alert on the crowded streets of south Quito, at the Panecillo, in Old Quito and in the areas of El Tejar, Parroquia San Sebastian, Avenida Cristobal Colon and Gonzalez Suarez. The Mariscal Sucre District is a popular tourist area in Quito with numerous restaurants, bars, hotels and shopping sites. Since 1999, U.S. Government employees and private U.S. citizens have been victimized there, prompting the U.S. Embassy to put certain bars off-limits and to declare a nighttime curfew in the area for its employees. Increased police presence and better lighting in prime tourist squares of Old Quito have improved safety, but similar measures in the Mariscal district have not been as effective.

In Guayaquil, take extra caution in the downtown area at night, in the street market area of La Bahia, at the Christ Statue (Sagrado Corazon de Jesus) on Cerro del Carmen, in the airport area, and in the southern part of the city. The riverfront park area in Guayaquil called the Malecon, and the passage up to the lighthouse in the Las Penas area are generally safe and well patrolled although at night caution should be observed. There have been repeated instances of travelers followed from the airport and intercepted by robbers using two vehicles to cut off the traveler. There is some evidence that those most at risk are people who appear to be returning for family visits laden with gifts and large amounts of cash. There have been armed robberies of restaurants and their patrons, including in the fashionable areas of Guayaquil. Guayaquil has also experienced an increase in kidnappings for ransom, often in connection with hijackings, although tourists have not been targeted.

Criminals sometimes use incapacitating drugs such as scopolamine on unsuspecting tourists in order to rob them. These so-called "date rape" drugs are put into drinks in order to drug the unsuspecting victim. This drug can render the victim disoriented and can cause prolonged unconsciousness and serious medical problems. Never allow a stranger to “buy” you a drink and never leave your drink unattended. Several American citizens have reported thefts of property following ingestion of such substances.

Every year, 15 to 20 American citizens are arrested for attempting to traffic drugs between Ecuador and the United States, or between mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos. Suitcases with false bottoms and other packages are common methods of transporting illegal substances. Many of these citizens claim to have been unaware that they were transporting drugs. As in any other country, do not accept gifts, packages or suitcases from other persons; even trusted travel companions have been known to take advantage of their friends and family to traffic drugs through Ecuador’s airports. See the Criminal Penalties section below for more details about Ecuador strict laws and sentences regarding illegal drug trafficking.

In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law. In addition, bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines.

More information on this serious problem is available at http://www.cybercrime.gov/18usc2320.htm.

Myths and Leyends.

The Enchanted Stone
This legend says that in the Working District there was a great stone that prevented the access to a remote part of the city, which was dark and marshy. This enchanted stone had the power to grant any wish; material objects, money, love, a job, goods or help with revenges. They said that it had a memory and all information was stored inside. It also had the power to punish the children who were disobedient with their parents, thus gaining the especially naughty children.
The adults maintained this legend to control their children, but above all, to keep the children away from this spot, since it was a place used for lover encounters.

The Gargoyles
This Gargoyle is an imaginary creature that has taken the form of a small white dog. This animal appears when lovers have affairs and it scares them with a weeping, similar to one of a newborn baby. It is believed that you could catch this animal and manage to taint its forehead with black carbon; the foreheads of the people that caught this animal would also be tainted black.

Ecuador's End

Ecuador had been sevent presidents in a period of ten years, that makes that the country be econimic unsatable, Moreover its around by volcano chain, the myths of ancestors say that ecuador is not end by volcanos, that is going end bye the bad goverments.

A legend consists of the creation of an event or story that goes along with the everyday life of the city and its inhabitants. And they keep that leyends and myths because traditions have to continue.

Bibliography

http://www.cuenca.com.ec/

Defense Articles: Ecuador

The State Department's April 2002 FY2003 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations reported that transfer of grant Excess Defense Articles to Ecuador "will support the U.S. foreign policy goal of maintaining Ecuadorian democracy by aiding the military services. Their role is to support the elected government and protect the country’s northern borders, which are increasingly being violated by narco-traffickers and insurgents in Colombia. EDA will strengthen Ecuador's military by providing badly needed resources and equipment in the country's ongoing economic crisis. Provision of EDA will also show U.S. commitment to Ecuador through support of its regional counternarcotics efforts."1
The February 2005 request for 2006 states, "Transfer of grant EDA to Ecuador will provide maintenance, office and communications equipment and aircraft to enhance Ecuador’s counternarcotics program. Equipment will include such items as night vision devices, communications, and vehicles. Support for the air force includes spare parts, and training and to improve the air force’s airlift and mobility capacity. Additionally, training, spare parts, and communications assistance will assist riverine and coastal units involved in interdiction." [2]


Bibliography

[1]. http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2003/
[2]. http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2006/

Old Town

Quito - Ecuador / Old Town
Known by Quiteños as el Centro Histórico, the old town falls into a fairly small area that can be comfortably covered on foot in a day. However, trying to take in old Quito's thirty-odd churches and assorted museums will quickly leave you feeling swamped and exhausted, so single out a few highlights. These should definitely include the three main squares - Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza Santo Domingo and Plaza San Francisco - as well as the charming little Plaza del Teatro. Of the churches, the most impressive are probably San Francisco, La Compañía and La Merced, along with El Sagrario and San Agustín.
The most rewarding museum in the old town is the excellent Museo de la Ciudad, while the Museo Nacional de Arte Colonial is also worth a visit, with its important collection of religious art. For a glimpse inside a traditional old town house, head for the Casa de María Augusta Urrutia or the Casa de Sucre. Finally, a short taxi-ride up to the summit of El Panecillo is highly recommended, for the sweeping views over the whole of the city. Note that churches are most likely to be open at 8-11am and 3-6pm.
Something to bear in mind as you try to find your way around the old town is that many streets have two completely different street names : the official one on green plaques, and the historical name painted on ceramic tiles. So, Calle Sucre, for instance, is also signed as Calle de Algodón (Cotton Street). Only the official names appear in the text of this guide .

Biography
www.ecuador.us

Mirador el Panecillo

El Panecillo on Christmas in Quito
(Pichincha province).


Panecillo Hill: A good alternative to acknowledge the dimensions and the layout of the old city. The Panecillo hill - that at the inca's time was a temple of adoration to the called Sun Yavirac- has on its peak a gigantic image of the Virgin of the Americas.

Rising up from the middle of Quito's Old Town is Panecillo Hill. From the top of the hill, the famous winged Virgin of the Apocalypse gazes upon the city, supposedly protecting it from the many volcanoes that surround Quito. The statue is a copy of a 17th century painting by Bernardo de Lagarda. It is said that Lagarda modeled his painting after the typical Quiteña of his time

Photography
http://www.goecuador.com/ecuador-photo-gallery/quito-architecture/photo3.html

Bibliography
http://www.ecuador.us/quito/
http://www.goecuador.com

Gegraphy Ecuador

Straddling the equator in western South America, Ecuador has territories in both the Northern and the Southern hemispheres. It borders Colombia to the north and shares a border with Peru to the south and to the east. The Pacific Ocean is Ecuador’s western border. Ecuador is geographically divided into four regions (the Amazon, the Highlands, the Coast, and the Galapagos Islands) and is politically split into 22 provinces, which, in turn, are split into 205 cantons.


Bibliography

http://www.languagecrossing.com/Destinations/Ecuador/Geography_of_Ecuador/

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