The year that leftist leader Rafael Correa legalized one of the criminal groups that now plagues Ecuador

More than a decade ago, Rafael Correa legalized the criminal gangs that today are responsible for the terrible crisis of violence that plagues Ecuador.

In a matter of hours, the Latin American country has suffered multiple violent events such as prison riots, car bombings, convicts escaping from prison, as well as armed men breaking into television stations, among other unfortunate incidents that caused the death of at least eight people in Guayaquil. These events were caused by criminal gangs that were once legalized by former leftist president Rafael Correa.

The socialist leader, who served as president from 2007 to 2017, decided to negotiate with street gangs during his first year in power and legalized them as part of a controversial plan to bring these criminal gangs out of hiding and into youth associations.

However, this measure, which recognized groups such as the Latin Kings, the Ñetas and the Masters of the Street as legitimate social organizations, allowed these gangs to gain ground and become "normal" in the country, according to international relations expert Agustín Antonetti.

"Rafael Correa gave legal status to organized crime, starting with the Latin Kings, one of the most dangerous gangs in the country. This made narco-politics become the normality of Ecuador. The main person responsible for what is happening [is Correa]," explained Antonetti, denouncing that this is one of the groups that "today are kidnapping and killing innocent people."

In fact, the Latin Kings is currently one of the gangs that was identified as a terrorist organization this Tuesday by President Daniel Noboa following several violent incidents that occurred recently in Ecuador.

"I have signed the executive decree declaring Internal Armed Conflict and identified the following transnational organized crime groups as terrorist organizations and belligerent non-state actors: Águilas, ÁguilasKiller, Ak47, Caballeros Oscuros, ChoneKiller, Choneros, Covicheros, Cuartel de las Feas, Cubanos, Fatales, Gánster, Kater Piler, Lagartos, Latin Kings, Lobos, Los p.27, Los Tiburones, Mafia 18, Mafia Trébol, Patrones, R7, Tiguerones", informed the president.

Noboa explained that the decree also orders the Armed Forces to "execute military operations, under international humanitarian law and respecting human rights, to neutralize the groups identified" as terrorists.