Ione Wells

I want to talk about security now as well. This January, Ecuador saw a record number of homicides. Is your iron fist approach to tackling this, militarizing the streets and prisons, not working?

I want to talk about security now as well. This January, Ecuador saw a record number of homicides. Is your iron fist approach to tackling this, militarizing the streets and prisons, not working?

I've spoken to some people here in Ecuador who, as a result of criminal gang violence, have had to witness relatives of theirs being mutilated by criminal gangs. Do you empathise with people who just want to flee the country? They feel it's too violent for them here.

I've spoken to some people here in Ecuador who, as a result of criminal gang violence, have had to witness relatives of theirs being mutilated by criminal gangs. Do you empathise with people who just want to flee the country? They feel it's too violent for them here.

You've recently announced a partnership with the military contractor Eric Prince to help your war on crime. What is this partnership for? Is he going to be bringing mercenaries to Ecuador to help fight violent gangs? Are these the special forces from abroad that you've said are coming soon?

You've recently announced a partnership with the military contractor Eric Prince to help your war on crime. What is this partnership for? Is he going to be bringing mercenaries to Ecuador to help fight violent gangs? Are these the special forces from abroad that you've said are coming soon?

Can I just clarify, yes or no, are you planning to bring in forces from abroad to fight against gangs here in Ecuador?

Can I just clarify, yes or no, are you planning to bring in forces from abroad to fight against gangs here in Ecuador?

So you would like to bring in mercenaries from aboard, for example?

So you would like to bring in mercenaries from aboard, for example?

So your message to the rest of the world, in a way, is effectively you would like soldiers from other countries to join this fight in Ecuador?

So your message to the rest of the world, in a way, is effectively you would like soldiers from other countries to join this fight in Ecuador?

So there has to be a lot of communication between us and the other health departments because it's their case and they're doing the investigation and identifying where that person's been.

So there has to be a lot of communication between us and the other health departments because it's their case and they're doing the investigation and identifying where that person's been.

But then we're working on the health care side, whether or not there was any health care exposures, and then making sure that we're notifying anybody that might have been unvaccinated and exposed to that individual with measles.

But then we're working on the health care side, whether or not there was any health care exposures, and then making sure that we're notifying anybody that might have been unvaccinated and exposed to that individual with measles.

I'm standing in what was once a protected area of the Amazon rainforest. There are huge lush green trees on either side as you would expect but through the middle there is now this huge cleared space where a new highway is being built. There are piles of logs on the side where trees have been deforested.

I'm standing in what was once a protected area of the Amazon rainforest. There are huge lush green trees on either side as you would expect but through the middle there is now this huge cleared space where a new highway is being built. There are piles of logs on the side where trees have been deforested.

This is where the government is building a new highway to ease traffic for the city ahead of the COP climate summit. You can see machines and diggers clearing and paving the road. Claudio Veracchi lives in the forest about 200 metres from here. He used to make his living from harvesting acai berries from trees here. Now that isn't possible. Those acai trees are gone.

This is where the government is building a new highway to ease traffic for the city ahead of the COP climate summit. You can see machines and diggers clearing and paving the road. Claudio Veracchi lives in the forest about 200 metres from here. He used to make his living from harvesting acai berries from trees here. Now that isn't possible. Those acai trees are gone.