Ecuador's Presidential Hopefuls Face Toxic Brew Of Crime, Unemployment

Juan Carlos Pesantes speaks during an interview with AFP next to the Seminary Park in Guayaquil, Guayas department, Ecuador on April 9, 2025. In the emblematic Seminario Park in Guayaquil, Ecuador's economic capital, the number of visitors barely exceeds the number of iguanas strolling in the sweltering heat. (Credit: AFP)

Cartel violence is hollowing out Ecuador's largest city Guayaquil, scaring away tourists, pummelling the economy and leaving whoever wins Sunday's presidential election with a gargantuan problem.

In picturesque and once-bustling Seminary Park, these days iguanas almost outnumber visitors.