Original ResearchPublished 7 October 2026Modeling democratic erosion in Ecuador: narco-capitalism, state reconfiguration, and criminal governance through PLS-SEM and ANNEvelyn Pamela Falconi Loqui · Ámbar Anabelle Verdugo-Arcos · René Ramírez · Nicolle Michelle Cevallos AndagoyaFrontiers in Political Sciencedoi 10.3389/fpos.2026.1931291