Brazil, Ecuador leaders discuss fight against organized crime via telephone

BRASILIA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday spoke via telephone with his Ecuadorian counterpart Daniel Noboa about spiraling violence, and the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking.

"Lula expressed his solidarity with President Noboa and indicated Brazil's willingness to help Ecuador, including through cooperation in intelligence and security," according to a release from Brazil's government.

"He emphasized that the fight against organized crime also poses a challenge for Brazil at various governmental levels, aggravated by the porosity and extension of the country's land and maritime borders," it added.

Lula da Silva noted Brazil currently heads the General Secretariat of the Police Community of the Americas (Ameripol), a hemispheric organization that brings together 30 countries to promote cooperation and the exchange of information in police matters.

Both presidents "agreed that South American countries must be united in the fight against organized crime, which affects everyone, and that strengthening regional integration is a fundamental condition to overcome the problem," the government said.

"They also stressed the need to coordinate with drug-consuming countries to combat drug trafficking effectively," it added.