Crimes and Implications of International Migration: Ecuador Case

In 1999, mainly due to the national holiday, thousands of Ecuadorians left their countries to look for better opportunities in the United States and European countries. The international economic crisis that began in 2008 forced the Ecuadorian government to establish policies to motivate Ecuadorians to return to the country, and thousands of Ecuadorians returned. The high rates of corruption, unemployment, poverty, the desire to improve living conditions, are the main reasons for Ecuadorians to migrate again in the year 2020, while thousands of thousands of foreigners, especially Venezuelans, enter Ecuador during this year. The reality that foreign emigrants perceive in the country is not what they expected, with problems similar to those they experienced in their country of origin, which demotivated many foreigners. The economic situation of Ecuador does not allow many foreigners to have a work and earn enough money to meet their basic needs and those of their families, which leads some of them to engage in informal trade, or even beg, and in the worst cases, commit crimes. This status of foreign migrants in Ecuador places them in a vulnerable condition, being exploited by organized mafias to recruit them to commit acts punishable by law. This reality is causing problems for the State and Ecuadorian society. In this context, the research provides information on crimes and implications of international migration in Ecuador, a study that starts with an analysis based on theory and reality, to establish the foundations that will allow authorities and citizens to rethink the social phenomenon studied