The deep roots of Latin America’s organized crime problem

It bears repeating: Ecuador was not always like this.

The stories emerging from the small Andean nation since the New Year have been beyond grim, representing an escalation of the severe drug-related violence that has gripped the country in the past few years.

Last week, President Daniel Noboa declared an “internal armed conflict” after the leader of the Los Choneros gang escaped from prison. Almost immediately, cartel violence spiked dramatically, with police officers being abducted and multiple prisons being overrun.

Thirteen gunmen stormed a television station in the port city of Guayaquil, armed with explosives, and threatened the TV personnel live on the air. And just this week, the city prosecutor investigating the alleged perpetrators of the assault was assassinated while driving.

Ecuador’s rescinding violence is nearly unprecedented in Latin America, as the country has gone from a relative haven in South America a decade ago to having one of the highest homicide rates in the hemisphere.

However, the country’s problems are far from unique. Indeed, crime has been deemed the new corruption in Latin America, serving as a singular issue today that drives political campaigns and shapes the debate. Security concerns played a major role in recent elections not only in Ecuador but also in Argentina and Paraguay, while they are expected to do the same in upcoming elections this year in Mexico and El Salvador.

Long-term disillusionment with leaders’ inability to stem...