President's Journal - Ecuador
"The rule of law in Ecuador is threatened by an increasing and widespread growth of illegal and criminal conducts. Illegality affects most of all the decisions of public officers even in the highest decisional levels, which creates institutional uncertainty and instability. Common criminality growth creates an increasing perception of insecurity, and a lack of confidence in the justice institutions. New types of crimes such as Trafficking in Persons, Money Laundering, involving criminal organizations, are arising new concerns.
Ecuador’s efforts in favor of improving the law enforcement actions and facing such challenges are receiving substantial support by means of the ABA cooperation. The ABA/LALIC Anti Trafficking in Persons Program has reached remarkable results in terms of training justice operators to effectively prosecute cases, public awareness and prevention and rescue and protection of victims. The cooperation with the improvement of the criminal justice system, which will be the core of a wider criminal justice program, is to help judges, prosecutors, and police investigators to work effectively in the prosecution of cases in such a way that, at the same time, fully respects the civil rights."
-- Cecilia Armas, Nacional General Prosecutor, Ecuador
