Residents in Ecuador’s largest city are resorting to drastic measures to protect themselves from the surging crime rates, as criminals run unchecked in the streets. Johana Torres, a resident and neighborhood president in Guayaquil, expressed her regret at the necessity of closing themselves off from the outside world, but emphasized that safety was their top priority. The city has witnessed a disturbing increase in violence, with an average of seven people being killed per day in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the previous year. The rise in violence can be attributed to the aftermath of the pandemic and ongoing drug gang wars.
To safeguard their communities, residents are relying on security gates to keep criminals at bay. In Torres’ Samanes 1 neighborhood, six gates were installed in December to protect the more than 300 families residing there. These gates restrict access to the area from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., effectively creating a barrier against potential intruders. Prior to the installation of these gates, the neighborhood was plagued by an average of 12 crimes per day.
Fernando Carrion, an urban planner and public safety expert, explained that Guayaquil and other crime-ridden cities in the area are adopting a strategy of “bunkerization.” This involves fortifying neighborhoods with security gates, similar to the measures taken by nearby cities facing similar challenges. Carrion compared this approach to creating internal borders within cities, requiring identification, authorization, and even body searches for entry. The aim is to limit the movement of criminals and ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens.
The necessity for such extreme safety measures reflects the inefficiency of the government in tackling the crime problem. Extortion cases in Guayaquil have surged in recent years, with a significant increase from 2021 to 2023. Between January and June, prosecutors recorded 1,603 extortion cases, surpassing the total of 1,265 cases for all of 2022 and only 425 cases in 2021. Additionally, robberies targeting both homes and retail stores have also reached alarming levels, surpassing the statistics of the entire previous year.
A case in point is the neighborhood of Nueva Kennedy, where residents have taken matters into their own hands. They installed 17 gates around the periphery of their neighborhood to safeguard the more than 600 residents and families living there. Francisco Torres, a leader in Nueva Kennedy, explained that they had approached the police multiple times over the past year but received no effective assistance. The escalating crime rates left them with no choice but to create a comprehensive enclosure that would restore their freedom to walk the streets without fear.
In conclusion, the people of Guayaquil are enduring the rise of crime in their city by fortifying their neighborhoods with security gates. This desperate measure reflects the failure of the government to address the issue effectively. The residents are determined to take matters into their own hands and protect themselves from the rampant criminal activity plaguing the city.
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