Safety in Ecuador

This has been a very controversial topic in the past on EC Forum

The more Gringos in town, the bigger the city, the later at night in Ecuador...the less safe most Expats feel.

Posting today here in the small pueblo of Checa in Pichincha province, it feels totally safe walking the streets.  In the nearby gated community of Pakakuna Gardens where I am staying and where Gringos are buying homes, it feels secure around the clock.

Would I feel nearly as safe walking alone on a dimly lit and deserted street in Mariscal Sector in the capital or in south Quito?  Hardly.

For new arrivals deciding on a place to live in a large city, I would avoid Guayaquil (except the Sambo neighborhood) and, for single women, Quito.

Cuenca would be a better choice, but virtually no place has a 100 percent safety guarantee.

cccmedia from Checa

Why do you feel that Cuenca is safer than Quito? It is not as large as Quito but there are a lot more gringoes

Safety is an issue, but it is an issue about anywhere you live in the world.
Certainly there are some areas more dangerous than others in Ecuador……I would agree that Guayaquil (where I live) is among the more dangerous.  But you can safely and reasonably live in Guayaquil.  Samborondon, a suburb, is reasonably safe.
The problem is mostly petty crime, and certainly worse after dark.  The most troubling are the moto's, usually with 2 people who can be upon you quickly.  Most of the time they are armed with handguns also.
Situational awareness is critical.  Avoiding situations is best.  When driving in Guayaquil, day or night, keep your doors locked and windows up.  Do not wear nice watches nor visible jewelry, keep cell phones and cameras out of sight…..if you have a backpack, consider keeping it in front of you (as many natives do).
At night use (call) secure taxis, especially at night.
Use ATM's in the day.

This is sage advice in any foreign country you may be living or visiting. Don't be ostentatious in any respect. I live in VA and I can tell you, I would never ever walk a solo in downtown Richmond at night as a female, esp. not donning expensive jewelry, etc. Same applies to Chicago, NYC, or any major city. As other posters have indicated, one must apply common sense with respect to attire, jewelry, etc. Can't flaunt it in most places! This is something that well-seasoned travelers have learned.

I have heard, however, that Cuenca seems to be the safest place for older, single women than other places in Ecuador. Thanks cccm for this tip! I've read news at website, cuencahighlife.com for other tips. Definitely not going to Guayaquil as a single senior female!
Cheers,
PS

AMDG wrote:

I would agree that Guayaquil (where I live) is among the more dangerous.  But you can safely and reasonably live in Guayaquil... The most troubling are the moto's, usually with 2 people who can be upon you quickly.... Avoiding situations is best..

Avoiding situations is best, he wrote! 

For Expats, how about just avoiding a move to GYE.  You can't hang out in Sambo all the time.

Armed moto drive-bys.  50 secuestro express robberies a month in a recent year.

Also to mention, Guayaquil is hot and humid and not near the oceanfront.

Forget it.

cccmedia in Quito

suefrankdahl wrote:

Why do you feel that Cuenca is safer than Quito? It is not as large as Quito but there are a lot more gringoes

I wouldn't slough off the big-city part.  In assessing the crime factor in most Western countries, size matters.  Quito is about seven times the size of Cuenca, which is a big difference, and it has a large area --- South Quito -- that historically has been unfriendly to Gringos

The percentage of Gringos is higher in Cuenca, but that is IMO a lesser factor than the big size difference in comparing this aspect of these two cities.

cccmedia in Quito

Wow. Seven times the population? I'll look it up.
We've had a number of "Crime in Ecuador" threads and much of the obvious has been stated. Large cities anywhere in the world pose similar risks and warrant similar warnings
.
I think it would be helpful for potential and new expats and those that have not traveled too much if unique challenges and solutions to Ecuador be discussed eg. the taxi issue, home invasions, crowded busses, bad neighborhoods, the increases in street crime, procedures for reporting crime, what to do in emergencies. Special advice to single females who have additional vulnerabilities.

I know that there are some knowledgeable former law enforcement and retired military who can provide good insights on the EC Forum

To each his own…….there are good and bad things about everyplace.
Hot and humid……perhaps not to your liking, but to me, and others, not a problem.
As for the crime…….definitely something to be aware of, but then again, one is a fool not to be aware equally no matter where they are.  What differs is only the frequency, not the crime.
There is good and bad, people must look at the options and decide for themselves……..

suefrankdahl wrote:

crowded busses, bad neighborhoods...procedures for reporting crime, what to do in emergencies.

Crowded buses...take taxis when it's a borderline decision.  Still cheap here in Quito, two dollars and change from El Centro to most of Mariscal.  A recent study showed that a high percentage of women get hassled, to put it mildly, on the public buses.  Pickpockets are active on the Ecovía line in Quito.

Bad neighborhoods...find out where they are.  Avoid them.  Don't move into them.

Procedures for reporting crime and emergencies....911 is the number to call in Quito.  But don't expect Batman to arrive in the nick of time.  In Quito robberies in which under $600 is taken and no one is physically injured, the police don't take a serious interest.  If someone here tells you that you are adding to the crime problem by not reporting the pickpocketing of your cheap cellphone or $30 in cash, that someone is uninformed about current realities.

cccmedia in Quito

I have lived in Ecuador for most of 6 years, mostly near Otavalo but with considerable time in Quito and have never felt personally threatened but know numerous others who have been victims of theft - most recently smart phone grabbed through open car window in Quito. No problem around Otavalo.

My house in Berkeley, CA, was burglarized twice and my car stolen in front. Crime is everywhere.

As with any large city anywhere in the world, there are parts of town you don't walk in after dark, don't wear a $10,000 Rolex, or play with your iPhone. As a recently reired airline captain, I have flown into a number of these cities over 31 years. I felt safer in Quito and Bogota than I did in New York. I walked almost everywhere I went on layovers, I ventured farther from the hotel in Quito than I ever would in New York.

Anywhere at night, I walk with my head on a swivel, I don't have the windows down in the car, and if I come to red light with people standing on the the corner I pause and drive on. But these are precautions I use anywhere I go.

Around the world," safety" or "being safe" is TOTALLY SUBJECTIVE.  Dumb topic IMO but oh,
so popular esp among gringitos.  My take is this:   My perception of "safety " is likely very different than yours, right?

My four years in QUito in a well-known, large and richer-than-the-nearby -environs-neighborhood, I never felt threatened nor was I threatened, nor robbed,  nor assaulted. I went about my business daily there in normally vigilant ways and my friends the same.  Other folks occasionally were all of the above--threatened et al--  I cannot spout statistics but maybe they were looking funny that day or something...   Who knows? 

It "COULD HAVE HAPPENED" to me ,of course, but it did not...  so as a middle aged gringita,  I suppose I will call that' luck' -- not being 'safe'...   anyway, IMO, QUito is a great town and I recommend everyone quit the paranoid thing and go visit.  It couldn't be worse than the SOuth Bronx ...let's say.

I am a classic blonde, WASP expat and live in Cuenca at least half of the year - I have been doing this for 5 years and have never felt threatened or worried about my safety.  I choose to walk with personal power and presence and heightened awareness of my surroundings.

I do not wear fancy jewelry nor do I carry my good camera in times of crowds or at night. Ecuador is my choice for a second home and I will go to great lengths to be a good steward of the country and my personal safety.  I am a guest and always be a guest.  It is my responsibility to be safe and protect my safety and to not do things that leave me vulnerable. 

I often feel safer in downtown Cuenca than I do in my home city downtown.  Dragonfly!

At least folks don't pack n carry here. Ridiculous how you go on about crime. Only folks that never traveled are usually targets Wearing backpacks, stupid hats, cameras on your shoulder. Wallet in your back pocket, putting your phone on the table, other than your home. Where are u from Podunk, Iowa?

Ya, much safer with only the bad guys packing weapons……
Not sure how that works, an armed society, is a polite society.

Lizardo wrote:

At least folks don't pack n carry here....Only folks that never traveled are usually targets.  Wearing backpacks, stupid hats, cameras on your shoulder. Wallet in your back pocket, putting your phone on the table, other than your home. Where are u from, Podunk, Iowa?

Despite the blunt talk and Podunk-bashing, Lizardo makes some good points.

No Ecuadorian wants a 17-year prison sentence for using a gun in a crime.  So the typical Expat will likely not encounter anyone with a gun besides the policía or some security guards.

Stay away from Guayaquil, the northern oil district including Lago Agrio, the Colombian border and South Quito, and the safety odds in your favor are even better.

cccmedia in Quito

At least in Guayaquil, there is no shortage of bad guys with weapons…….and in following the news, it seems weapon related crimes are a regular occurrence throughout Ecuador…..
Obtaining them is not a problem if you have the money to buy them.
As for encountering said bad guys with weapons……that is part of the discussion, situational awareness, avoiding locations and times where there is a higher probability…….

Hello.
We have been living in Ecuador for almost 5 years now.
We have travelled the whole country several times, driving at night which some don't recommend.
Chairs are always in the back of the car along with the thermos with coffee.
Wherever we feel for it we have a rest enjoying a beautiful nature in a great climate with a cup of coffee.
And we have never had any bad experiences. We live in Manta, but we feel the situation is more tensed
in Quito and Guayaquil like other big cities around the world.
Just open the newspaper where you live...

Of course there is a big difference on rich and not so rich, so it is all about precaution.
Leave your gold watch and jewelry at home, don't provoke a situation.

Don't mix with the wrong people, don't get involved with drugs or money laundry and you will be fine.
If you have a lot of money don't show it. Live a low profile.

And very important:
Learn Spanish, at least the basic. Learn and respect their culture and interact with the local people.
You will guaranteed find some good friends.

Welcome to Ecuador
Bjorn & Rosa

sueb4bs wrote:

Dumb topic IMO but oh,
so popular esp among gringitos.

.

Yeah maybe it is a "dumb" topic in your opinion and yes it was started by a gringito. Actually someone on the EC Forum team. It now appears on many of the other countries' Forums.

Much of the obvious HAS already been stated. If you type "crime in Ecuador" into the search box above you'll find at least 10 threads on the subject so maybe this one isn't necessary

Given some of the postings here on the EC Forum it is painfully obvious that some of the expats and potential expats do come from Podunk USA. People that are really fearful of crime are the ones that become victims and probably shouldn't expatriate to a city in a 3rd world country where they don't speak the language

So the thread does serve a purpose to people just starting to look at EC as a retirement destination

Ones life in "Podunk" nor ones level of fear, has anything to do with being a victim, or not……
Crime exists and it is universal…..some places more so, some less.
The point of this thread would be awareness and risk mitigation in Ecuador, that would be helpful.

One's life in Podunk or nice suburbs has a lot to do  with being a victim. As you've stated awareness and risk mitigation in a South American city is something people like this would not possess and that's the point of the thread. It seems like a contradiction but maybe I've misunderstood you.

It is always advised that you walk and conduct yourself in a confident  manner as possible. It may not totally eliminate the occurrence of being victimized but it "mitigates" the risk.

That being said , I have already in post#9 asked for  suggestions and solutions about crime and safety issues that are particularly relevant to Ecuador.

Maybe it's better that the topic be closed anyway as so much has already been written on the ten previous threads.

No point in it turning into a slugfest and having the team close it as has happened  before. Maybe there WILL be some helpful information posted

Safety is an important and relevant topic on this forum, witness how active this thread has been in recent days, Oracle.

As long as people stay civil -- and only one poster has been 'moderated' so far -- I see no reason for the Home Office to intervene further.

cccmedia in Quito

I've traveled a lot around the world. I sometimes keep my dummy wallet (with expired credit cards, photos, and a small amount of cash) in my pocket and sometimes an expired passport as well. Never had to use it. Only time I felt really threatened was one time walking to pizza place for a slice in Berkeley and felt two guys making a move on me. Ran into a liquor store. My only clear experience of travel corruption was at the checkin counter at LAX. The clerk overlooked my overweight bag when I asked him what the charge would be and slapped a 20 on the counter. It disappeared and my bag was checked.

smitty88 wrote:

Only time I felt really threatened was one time walking to a pizza place for a slice in Berkeley and felt two guys making a move on me. Ran into a liquor store.

Back in my visitor days in Quito dating back to 2001, I used to have some run-ins with malditos until realizing I needed to 'up' my vigilance.

One time El Gordo grabbed my gym bag while I was shooting baskets in Parque la Carolina and was distracted by his gabby buddy.  But Gordo was so fat and full of cervezas that I easily ran him down and he peacefully surrendered the bag of towels and gym stuff.

As I said, I became more vigilant.  So when an obvious young delincuente had me in his sights while I was walking home with a couple of bags of new purchases two years ago in Centro Histórico, I was aware of him.

Like Smitty, I ducked into a place, in my case a small hotel, and then I waited a couple of minutes to see if the suspected matón was hanging around.  He was.

Then I exited the hotel and retraced my steps to the corner, away from the sinister ladrón.

I hung a left and ran up the hilly street for a block.

Now I had left the pandillero in my dust.  Even the locals have trouble running uphill at 9,400 feet altitude.

This has been the only incident or near-brush with crime I've had since moving to Quito in 2013.

cccmedia in Quito

Nards posted a link to a blogger whose post touched on safety for EC Expats.

"I don't recommend that people move anywhere in Ecuador and not learn the language because firstly, it could become a safety issue at some point -- medical emergency or natural disaster....

"But the reality is that very few Expats in Ecuador ever learn enough Spanish to have an in-depth conversation with a local speaker....

"And really when people are moving to Ecuador to retire, how hard do they want to work?  Most have worked their whole lives and are ready to relax...."

From www.lojaisnothinglikecuenca.blogspot.com

Hi
I want to know about hospitals there. How fast do they respond to an emergency call,
how good the hospitals are and how close is the closer hospital to any town.

Thanks a lot,

seastar46 wrote:

I want to know about hospitals there....how good the hospitals are and how close is the closer hospital to any town.

Since you previously posted such questions on another thread, which is fine, it is evident that these are important factors to you.

If hospital care is a priority, you would do better to be in a large city such as Quito or Cuenca and not in a town.  Responding directly to your question, the hospitals in these large cities are right in the city, and Quito's suburbs have some excellent hospitals as well.

Ecuador's largest city, Guayaquil, is not recommended for health-challenged persons due to its heat and humidity.  Some people do not do well in the highlands, which area includes Quito at 9350' and Cuenca at 8200' altitude.

Did you find useful the threads suggested to you earlier which have been active in recent months...

The Top Hospitals in Ecuador...Healthcare in Ecuador...Ecuador's Socialized Medical Program For Legal Residents...New Ecuador health care system.

cccmedia in Quito

seastar46 wrote:

How fast do they respond to an emergency call?

If you are ambulatory and in an area where taxis are available, get in one and don't wait for an ambulance.  Or, if a friend, neighbor or landlord is immediately available, ask one of them to drive you.

You should already have a plan as to which hospital you would go to in an emergency.

An exception to the taxi recommendation may be EMI service in Quito ( www.falck.com ), for which paid membership is required.

cccmedia in Quito

Another factor to consider is the language issue. Could you make yourself understood in an emergency room? or on a hospital floor?

suefrankdahl wrote:

Another factor to consider is the language issue. Could you make yourself understood in an emergency room? or on a hospital floor?

As we read in Report 28 above, many Gringos are predisposed to get along without Spanish-language skills.

Here are a few words that might get one started now, to avoid the problem the Oracle brought up, for when the porquería hits the ventilador....

Pain..........dolor (doh-LAWR)

It hurts..........duele (DWEH-lay)

Breathing.........respiración (reh-spee-rah-SYOHN)

Broken..........quebrado (kay-BRAH-doh)

Slowly..........lentemente

I would like to lie down..........Quisiera acostarme. (kee-see-AIR-uh ah-koh-STAR-may)

Doctor..........doctor (or) médico

Nurse..........enfermera (en-fehr-MEHR-uh) ... enfermero (male nurse)

Weak..........débil (DEH-beel)

It feels strange here (in this spot)..........Me siento raro aquí.
                                      (May SYEN-toh RAHR-oh ah-KEE)

It happened before...........Se occurió antes. (Say oh-koo-RYOH AHN-tess)

Never happened before.....Nunca se occurió antes.

It's an emergency..........Es una emergencia. (ay-mehr-HEN-see-uh)

                                                     .

Yes, I am a Spanish speaker. English is my second Language.

Profesor svp

RE;it happened before:

chest pain, heart attack, high or low blood sugar, I take insulin., here is my list of medications(this is recommended for everyone in the US to carry in their wallet) I don't know much about altitude sickness and hopefully the docs there do but it could exacerbate many health conditions. Might be a good topic

seastar46 wrote:

Yes, I am a Spanish speaker. English is my second Language.

Speaking of preparation for medical emergencies, it would be a good idea to carry a written list of your medical conditions, relevant medical and surgical history, medications and doses and contact names and numbers in your wallet or purse.

Hi
You say Cuenca has an 8200' altitude. Are roads very curvy with cliffs on the sides?

seastar46 wrote:

You say Cuenca has an 8200' altitude. Are roads very curvy with cliffs on the sides?

Expect all inter-city roads in the EC highlands to be curvy.  Mudslides and fallen rocks occasionally cause multiple-day road closures on some highlands roads.

There is a panoramic view of the more sedate Cuenca-city layout at the Wikipedia.com page for Cuenca, Ecuador.

DragonflyTraveller wrote:

I am a classic blonde, WASP expat and live in Cuenca at least half of the year - I have been doing this for 5 years and have never felt threatened or worried about my safety.  I choose to walk with personal power and presence and heightened awareness of my surroundings....

That was a great post, Dragonfly.

In a report brimming with irony, Kathleen Peddicord of the Overseas Opportunity Letter has just e-published A Single Woman's Best Choice For Retiring Overseas.

Ironically, in a week in which world headlines have been dominated by the prison-escape of a feared Mexican druglord, Peddicord chooses a town in the state of Sonora, Mexico:

"In more than 15 years of scouring the world for the best retirement havens, Álamos, Mexico, is unquestionably the best place I've seen for a woman moving abroad on her own."

It's a colonial town of under 25,000 in a valley surrounded by mountains.

The reasons for this choice include an active English-speaking Expat community with many artists, writers and musicians...an active, if low-keyed social life with dinners in Expat homes, many cocktail hours and girls nights out...and it's safe to walk the streets alone day and night.

Ironically, Peddicord states that she made presentations to local groups in the Mexican town about retiring to Uruguay and -- wait for it   -- Ecuador.

cccmedia in Quito