“British Millionaire Colin Armstrong Rescued After Kidnapping in Gang-Plagued Ecuador: Cartel Involvement Suspected”

Accident – Death – Obituary News : British Millionaire Rescued After Kidnapping in Gang-Plagued Ecuador

Colin Armstrong, a 78-year-old British millionaire and former diplomat, was rescued on Wednesday after being kidnapped in Ecuador. The country has been plagued with gangs and cartels, making it a dangerous place for locals and foreigners alike.

Armstrong and his girlfriend, Katherine Paola Santos, were snatched from their villa by 15 armed men on Saturday morning. Before his rescue, Armstrong was last seen being forced into the back of a car. Suspicion quickly fell on Ecuador’s cartels as the perpetrators of the kidnapping, with reports suggesting that Armstrong had refused to pay protection money.

Ecuador has been experiencing a surge in violence due to territorial battles between brutal gangs vying for control. Gun massacres, beheadings, and other acts of extreme violence have become distressingly common. Dock workers have been caught in the crossfire of turf wars between several groups fighting for control of the drug trade.

Situated between Colombia and Peru, two leading cocaine producers, Ecuador has become a central hub for foreign and domestic drug cartels. The cartels have been responsible for gruesome massacres, kidnappings, and extortions. Prisons in the country have become hotbeds of violence, with cartels fighting for power and exerting their influence from behind bars.

The situation has escalated in recent years, with Ecuador’s murder rate soaring. Since 2018, the national murder rate has more than quadrupled, placing the country among the top 15 most dangerous countries in the world. In the first six months of this year alone, there were 3,568 violent deaths reported, compared to 2,042 during the same period in 2022. The country is on track to surpass its record-breaking number of violent deaths in 2023.

The violence reached its peak in August with the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, which plunged the country into chaos. The capital city of Guayaquil and the fishing district of Esmeraldas have been particularly affected by the turf wars between cartels.

The proliferation of criminal groups in Ecuador can be attributed to the global surge in both the supply and demand for cocaine. As the US market turns to other drugs like fentanyl, the European market has increased its demand for cocaine. This has attracted gangs and mafia groups from the Balkans and Italy to expand their operations in Ecuador.

Reports have linked Armstrong’s kidnapping to the feared Los Tiguerones cartel, which has ties to a violent Mexican cartel known for their extreme tactics, such as forcing new recruits to eat raw human hearts. The kidnapping is believed to be a result of Armstrong’s refusal to pay a monthly protection fee to the cartel.

Nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping, but their official affiliation with Los Tiguerones has not been confirmed. The gangs causing chaos in Ecuador, including Los Choneros, Los Lobos, and Los Tiguerones, have links to cartels from Colombia and Mexico, including the notorious Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation groups.

The causes behind the proliferation of criminal groups in Ecuador are complex. They revolve around cocaine, with cartels and gangs battling for control of drug routes and territories. The situation has been exacerbated by political infighting, corruption, and economic challenges faced by the country. The COVID-19 pandemic has also contributed to the rise in violence, as the economic downturn has made vulnerable individuals easy targets for recruitment by criminal groups.

Ecuadorian authorities are struggling to combat the escalating violence and the power vacuum left by the killing of cartel leader Jorge Zambrano in 2020. The violence has affected all aspects of daily life in Ecuador, with businesses fortifying their establishments and citizens living in fear of robberies and other crimes.

The rescue of Colin Armstrong is a rare success story in a country overwhelmed by violence and criminal activity. It highlights the urgent need for Ecuadorian authorities to address the root causes of the problem and strengthen law enforcement efforts to restore peace and security to the country..