The New York Times article, “Five Destinations that Require Caution” does not name Quito immediately, but in the end, it includes the capital of Ecuador in its danger list.
The blacklist of cities with personal insecurity includes Karachi (Pakistan), Caracas (Venezuela), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Yangon (Myanmar) and Quito (Ecuador).
The list includes two South American cities, and according to what the article says, Quito is there because, “although it is a tourist destination there is crime, including theft, robbery and theft in hotel rooms, it is a major concern, according to Mr. Bradley and Mr. Boles. Mr. Boles said that tourists have been robbed when they are out of town, while Bradley said that Quito has a problem with what is known as “express” kidnappings. “Travelers perceived as rich have been seized and forced to withdraw large sums of money from their ATM accounts,” he said. “While most express kidnappings end in the release of the kidnapped, in some cases, they have resulted in the death of the targeted person. The State Department website says that “crime is a widespread problem in Ecuador “and tt also warns about express kidnappings. ”
HOW DID QUITO GET IN THIS LIST?
The Safe Cities Index 2017 is a report by The Economist Intelligence Unit sponsored by NEC. The report classifies 60 cities into 49 indicators that cover digital security, health security, infrastructure security and personal security.
To be placed among the last 5 in personal security, the unit considered the risk citizens live with crime, violence and other man-made threats. To publish the final ranking, they take into consideration the level of police participation, the use of information for crime prevention and the political stability of the country where each city is located. They also takes into account violent crime, the perception of security, as well as the new sub-indicators that assess the threat of civil unrest, military conflict and terrorism.
It’s not the only list where Quito appears among the worst countries. In the overall result, the Metropolitan District ranked number 53 out of 60 cities in the world. In health security it maintains the 53th position, in infrastructure security it is in number 57, third in numbers of deaths from natural disasters, and finally 56 in personal security.
The position on the list was granted by The Economist and made public by The New York Times. The reactions to the article were immediate. Indignation is one of the thousands of reactions that summarize the feeling of all who have read the name of our city on a blacklist in one of the most important media in the world.
Sources:
https://dkf1ato8y5dsg.cloudfront.net/uploads/5/82/safe-cities-index-eng-web.pdf
http://safecities.economist.com/safe-cities-index-2017
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