UN Secretary-General (UNSG) António Guterres is deeply concerned about threats posed by organized crime to national institutions as well as its impact on women´s and children´s daily lives, according to UNSG´s spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.

However, Dujarric called for the Ecuadorean government’s efforts to curb violence to comply with international law and the rule of law.

Dujarric hailed the advances in reducing homicides reported in January, while calling for respect for international law.

Ecuador is currently facing up a domestic armed conflict decreed by President Daniel Noboa as a response to violent acts at penitentiaries and on the streets such as the kidnapping and murder of policemen.

However, several analysts warned that militarization is insufficient to solve Ecuador´s present insecurity crisis.

Pll/npg/ebr