Texas Representative Dan Crenshaw (R) highlighted the horrific acts of live televised violence committed by Ecuadorian cartels and gangs.
“Right now Ecuador is experiencing an all-out cartel takeover. They’re executing hostages, taking over prisons, and stormed a news station on live TV. Over the past 20 years cartels and drug traffickers have become far too powerful and more dangerous than ever,” tweeted Rep. Crenshaw.
Cartel violence in Ecuador was already a problem. However, it has recently catapulted to new levels. Several schools and businesses closed while soldiers patrolled the streets on alert for cartels.
On Jan. 9, Ecuadorian cartels assaulted TC Telvisión workers for 15 minutes on television.
The armed individuals were arrested and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has declared 20 of the cartels as terrorist groups. Over 300 people have been arrested in a three-day span.
Rep. Crenshaw has continuously warned of the serious danger cartels pose to countries around the world. Some lawmakers have rebuffed his calls for the use of U.S. military action to fight against cartels.
Texas Representative Joaquin Castro (D) recently rebuffed the Republicans’ idea of using “military action” to take down Mexican cartels.
However, many conservative lawmakers have been pushing for more forceful action against the cartels.
“The Republicans calling for military action against Mexico are taking us down a dangerous road. The U.S. and Mexico need to work together to address violence and drug trafficking – but the U.S. must also take responsibility for our role in fueling these crises,” said Rep. Castro.
The Texas congressman pointed out how the cartels, known for the illegal smuggling of drugs, operate. Furthermore, the representative gave his view on how to prevent the drug crisis.
“Cartels profit by meeting U.S. demand for drugs. To meaningfully fight fentanyl trafficking, we need more investments in addiction prevention + treatment. In May, @HouseForeign passed my amendment expanding joint efforts to address youth drug use- a first step to curb demand.”
The drug crisis has become a legitimate threat to countries and governments around the world, but the live Ecuadorian attack is shocking, nonetheless.
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