Military checkpoint between Banos and Misahualli, Ecuador

A man in a flowered shirt presents documents at a military checkpoint. A fatigue-wearing guard stands nearby. A young boy sets down his basket of baked goods near the checkpoint.The Ecuadorian military plays a large role in patrolling eastern Ecuador. Their job is three-fold: to prevent drug smugglers from crossing into Ecuador through the uncharted rainforest, to protect international employees working in the oil industry, and to patrol the contest border between Ecuador and Peru. In the more remote areas of Ecuador, it is not uncommon to find the Ecuadorian military as the only representatives of the government.