Politics

What is happening in Ukraine? Updates as of February 27th, 2022

By: Carolina Mejia (11)

Eerily repeating devastating patterns of the past, Russia has launched aggressive attacks against Ukraine in an effort to annex the region. The weeks preceding the attack have been unbearably tense, as representatives of a myriad of nations participated in talks in order to prevent war. Although the conflict seems abrupt and surprising, it is everything but. In a meeting between George W. Bush and Putin in 2008, the Russian leader said that “Ukraine isn’t a country” , showing that the animosity that has now exploded into active combat has been a long time in the making.

It is important to note that Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union before its ultimate dissolution. Arguably, Russia’s historic expansionist yearnings that are likely behind such acts of blatant violence. Formally, however, Russia has renewed its aggression due to what they have dubbed NATO’s “eastward expansion.” NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was established after the second world war as a set of alliances and agreements between nations led by western powers. Member countries agreed to support each other in the event of an attack against any other member country. This military alliance excluded the Soviet Union, which proceeded to develop an equivalent program called the Warsaw Pact. Although the Soviet Union ultimately broke apart, NATO remained as an established organization that aimed to maintain global peace. Recently, talks have taken place to give Ukraine a membership in NATO, a prospect that made the Russians tremble. They believed that if Ukraine joined NATO, they would be susceptible to an attack from the west. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president–who is widely considered a dictator–has condemned NATO expansion for years and names the organization a conspiracy designed to take over Moscow. Despite its complex origins, the fact is that as of February 24th, 2022, Russia launched

a full scale invasion on Ukraine, and the future is uncertain.

The attacks began after Russian forces launched missiles on cities and military targets. Putin launched the attacks during a televised address in which he called the Ukrainian military to lay down its weapons. Ukraine subsequently declared martial law, and hundreds of citizens took to the streets in desperate attempts to leave the cities. Impactful images of jam packed highways show the desperation and fear that is gripping the whole nation. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted, “Russia has embarked on a path of evil, but Ukraine is defending itself.” The missiles are being directed surprisingly near the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv and the city of Kharkiv. They continued to spread like wildfire across the Russian-Ukrainian border, as Russian forces attacked the country from three sides.

It seems that the international community has become paralyzed by the events, few people actually believed that Russia would take such drastic measures. The United States’ President, Joe Biden, issued a statement

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calling Vladimir Putin an “aggressor” and announced that heavy sanctions on Russia are underway. Even before the Russian invasion, the United States had been sending military aid to Ukraine as early as January. Biden’s official statement calls Russia’s actions “unprovoked” and “unjustified” and announced that a G7 meetings and discourse were underway. The statement also said that the United States and G7 “will also coordinate with our NATO Allies to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance.” Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister also released a statement announcing “severe sanctions.” He also said that Russia’s aggression is “the greatest threat to European stability since World War II.” The Ukrainian president has shown an exceptionally brave front, refusing to leave the country and asserting that Ukrainian troops are standing strong, “We are all here. Defending our independence. Our country. And so it will continue.” The situation continues developing with new updates flooding the media by the minute. On February 27th, Putin announced that he put Russia’s nuclear weapons on “special alert.” What this

situation has proven is that Putin is impulsive and unpredictable, so the decision to include nuclear weapons in the narrative not only serves to scare and threaten Ukraine and its allies, but also proves the extent to which Putin is willing to go to reach his goal. His determination is no secret, however, as he clearly stated that any country who attempted to interfere or stop him would see consequences “never seen in your history.” Most recently, President Zelensky said that dialogue with the Russians was underway with the help of Alexander Lukashenko, a Belarusian leader. However, both Russia and Belarus have not confirmed these talks, therefore an end to the conflict through dialogue seems a far way off.

The number of dead and wounded is unknown given the speed at which the conflict is escalating. The Ukrainian health ministry issued a report stating that around 198 Ukrainians have been killed and over 1,115 have been wounded–Russian authorities have not disclosed the death toll on their side. Additionally, over 368,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other bordering countries, showing the onset of a grave humanitarian crisis as well. Amid the newest developments, The European Union has announced that it will impose stricter bans on Russia such as banning Russian-owned media outlets and continue giving aid and support to Ukraine. Satellite images, as reported by CNN, show Russian military convoys stretching on for more than three miles on a road that heads directly to Kiev, the Ukrainian Capital. As the situation continues to develop, it is important to stay informed with reliable information and offer solidarity to those suffering the immediate consequences of this devastating conflict.

If you are interested in supporting Ukraine we recommend you look into the following verified sources that are raising funds and awareness regarding the ongoing war:

Ukrainian Armed Forces • Ukraine’s National Bank set up an account solely dedicated to support the country’s armed forces Ukrainian Red Cross • Provides humanitarian response such as helping refugees and training doctors Revived Soldiers Ukraine • Raises funds to buy medication and

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medical supplies for field and army hospitals at the frontline Nova Ukraine • Raises funds to purchase baby food, hygiene products, and other basic necessities to help citizen UNCHR • UN based organization providing shelter, blankets, and specialist protection to support civilians escaping the country

**This article’s last update was on Sunday, February 27th, 2022.

The Crumbling Ecuadorian Prison System: What is the Source of Chaos?

By: Carolina Mejia (11)

The world is linked through complex, invisible strings. Said connections transcend all kinds of borders ranging from geographic ones to cultural and even political divides. Often, these links go unnoticed as they quietly weave together the world’s collective experience. However, most recently, examples of the world’s inextricable interconnectedness have become more evident as demonstrated by the Ecuadorian prison riots.

Ecuador’s prison system has always experienced instability. Due to high levels of corruption, low levels of institutionally, and influence of drug cartels, the penitentiary system has been historically vulnerable to outbursts of violence and chaos. The perilous state of prisons in Ecuador started gaining prominence in the global media in 2019 after 204 inmates were poisoned at the Ibarra prison in the Imbabura province. The prisoners were reportedly contaminated with food coming from external vendors. Initially, the incident was dismissed as a case of food poisoning, but the minister of defense, Oswaldo Jarrín accepted that it was most likely a repercussion of the growing influence of drug cartels and

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gangs. That same year, the government declared a state of emergency in prisons all throughout the country as overcrowding reached 40% nationwide. 1 Prisons in Ecuador are unfortunately afflicted with high levels of corruption, as security guards and personnel are underpaid and easily lured by monetary compensations proposed by influential gangs. For example, an item worth $500 in the market, can be sold for up to $4,000 inside the prisons,2 and when gangs and cartels identify discontent members of the prison system which could aid them in solidifying their power, they call upon those whose role it is to protect and prevent illicit activities to conduct their dirty work. This method is unfortunately effective and even high prison officials are often involved in the trade and supply of illegal items throughout the prisons. The high levels of illegal activities in Ecuadorian prisons are a direct result of the influence of gangs like Los Choneros, Los Cubanos, and Los

1 “Corruption Leaves Ecuador’s Prisoners Facing Precarious Conditions.” 30 May. 2019, https://insightcrime.org/news/analysis/corruption-leaves-ecuadors-prisoners-facing-precarious-conditions/. 2 “Ecuador’s prison riot: Drug cartels, overcrowded cells and a bloodbath.” 30 Sep. 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/ world/2021/09/30/ecuador-prison-riot-cartels/.

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Lobos who are strongly connected to the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, led by the infamous drug lord El Chapo Guzman.

Ecuador has borders with Colombia in the north and Peru in the south-- both of which are the main exporters of cocaine worldwide. Although Ecuador itself does not produce high amounts of cocaine, its geography has made it a point of interest for powerful drug cartels that use smuggling routes passing through the country to help contraband reach Colombia. The Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels have identified local gangs and created alliances in order to use Ecuador’s Pacific ports for their drug enterprise. Because of said alliances, the Los Choneros cartel was able to grow its membership to over 10,000.3 As Colombia began imposing stricter laws in order to control the production and trafficking of cocaine, cartels in Ecuador gained strength, and with support of Mexican cartels, they quickly began infiltrating the prison system and using them as headquarters for their operations.

3 “Ecuador’s prison riot: Drug cartels, overcrowded cells and a bloodbath.” 30 Sep. 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/ world/2021/09/30/ecuador-prison-riot-cartels/.

Violence began reaching its peak in February 2021 when fights broke out simultaneously in three prisons resulting in the death of 79 prisoners. Then, in July, similar violent outbreaks resulted in 22 deaths and the president subsequently declared a state of emergency in the penitentiary system. The rising violence was attributed to the murder of the Los Choneros leader Jorge Luis Zambrano, alias “Rasquiña”, 4 in December 2020. The cartel consequently broke down into smaller groups, and with this fragmentation, chaos ensued. Unfortunately, the worst was yet to come, and the cartels showed the extent of their brutality on September 20th, 2021 when a fight broke out in the Litoral prison resulting in the death of more than 116 people. 5 Prisoners were mutilated beyond recognition, and some were even decapitated. Others died of gun shot and stab wounds, and as the clash intensified, the prisoners’ family members gathered outside the jail, screaming and

4 “’Strategy of terror’: 116 dead as Ecuador prisons become ....” 30 Sep. 2021, https://www. theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/30/ecuador-prison-deaths-mexican-cartels. 5 “Ecuador declares emergency in prisons after 116 inmates killed.” 30 Sep. 2021, https:// www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/30/ecuador-state-of-emergency-prisons. crying, fearful that their loved ones had perished. The revolt also resulted in an additional 80 injured inmates— it was the bloodiest prison fight in Ecuador’s history. Guillermo Lasso, the Ecuadorian president released a statement saying, 6 “It is regrettable that the prisons are being turned into territories for power disputes by criminal gangs,” while Colonel Mario Pazmino, a former military intelligence director said, “transnational organized crime has permeated the [prison] structure,” emphasizing that violent outbreaks are a symptom of a much deeper problem: the drug industry as controlled by terrorizing gangs. Solving an issue so deeply intertwined in complex enterprises such as the drug trade is a difficult endeavor. However, the Ecuadorian government stated that it will accelerate a program being developed to build stronger infrastructure and technology to protect the nation’s prison system—a project which costs an impressive $24 million USD to enact. 7

6 “Ecuador declares emergency in prisons after 116 inmates killed.” 30 Sep. 2021, https:// www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/30/ecuador-state-of-emergency-prisons. 7 “Ecuador declares emergency in prisons after 116 inmates killed.” 30 Sep. 2021, https:// www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/30/ecuador-state-of-emergency-prisons.

The Ecuadorian prison system is built for 30,000 inmates, but the number of prisoners exceeds 39,000. 8 As a result, the system is experiencing extreme pressure in terms of staff shortages and infrastructure, all cracks which facilitate the infiltration of chaos-inducing gangs. A lack of order and stability in the prisons coupled with the growing cartel presence in Ecuador coalesced to create the perfect storm of instability and fear. The drug industry continues to hold a great monopoly over the world, and while some argue that drugs should be legalized in order to facilitate their regulation, developing tangible and effective solutions is a precarious process; it needs to be a balanced equation that promotes wellbeing and sustainability—one that is yet to be deciphered.

*New Development: On November 14th, another prison fight in Guayaquil, Ecuador broke out resulting in 68 deaths. Over 300 prisoners have died throughout the Ecuadorian penitentiary system in 2021.

8 “Ecuador declares emergency in prisons after 116 inmates killed.” 30 Sep. 2021, https:// www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/30/ecuador-state-of-emergency-prisons.