Ecuador’s National Police is preparing tight security measures for the 2022 Copa Libertadores final between Brazilian teams Flamengo and Athletico Paranaense, to be played in Guayaquil, a city steeped in crime and violence.
Thousands of Brazilian fans have arrived in Guayaquil to watch the Copa Libertadores final, organized by Conmebol, between Brazil’s Flamengo of Rio de Janeiro and Athletico Paranaense of Curitiba, to be played on Saturday, October 29, at the Isidro Romero Carbo Monumental Stadium.
Ecuador’s National Police has organized a large police deployment to ensure the safety of the athletes and the thousands of Brazilian fans arriving in the city.
Ecuadorian National Police General Víctor Hugo Zárate, commander of Guayaquil’s Zone 8, stated in a press conference that 10,000 police and 400 members of the military would maintain Guayaquil’s security on the occasion of the Copa Libertadores final. 2022.
On Saturday, October 29, the Monumental Stadium will become “the safest place in Ecuador,” according to Zárate, who noted that arrangements for the final had been planned for five months.
Traffic will not be able to circulate within the three kilometer security cordon placed around the stadium.
There will be three police fences at the entrance to the stadium, to separate fans of both teams, to ensure the authenticity of show tickets and personal registration.
The deployment of the police is intended to deter any criminal activity.
Guayaquil is experiencing a serious crisis of insecurity and violent crime linked to organized crime, drug trafficking and murder-for-hire, with criminal groups also carrying out car bombs and bloody prison incidents.
