Ecuadorian influencer calls Toronto a ‘third-world country’ in viral video

A content creator who promotes life in Ecuador is sparking debate after describing the city as a 'mess' in widely shared clip

Published Jun 18, 2026  •  Last updated 30 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Alejandro Vivar calls Toronto a 'third-world country'. Photo by Alejandro Vivar /Instagram

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An Ecuadorian man has gone viral after sharing his thoughts on Toronto.

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Alejandro Vivar, an entrepreneur and content creator, posted a 47-second video of himself roaming downtown Toronto — and he was completely unimpressed by the city.

“I came from Ecuador to Canada expecting to see the First World. What I found shocked me,” reads the text on the video shared on his Instagram and Facebook pages.

In the clip, Vivar comments on the city’s cleanliness, pointing out garbage and cigarette butts on the sidewalk before walking past a homeless person sleeping on the ground.

“Look, look, you don’t see this in Ecuador.”

By the time he reached Yonge and Dundas Sts., he was ready to call it a day.

“This is the flagship of Toronto and there’s literally garbage, crackheads, crazy people, people talking to themselves, fetty heads (slang for fentanyl addicts),” Vivar said while shaking his head in disbelief.

“Bro, this is a third-world country. Coming from Quito, Quito is way more civilized,” he said in praise of the Ecuadorian capital before calling Toronto “a f***ing mess.”

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Ulterior motive?

According to his Instagram bio, Vivar rents out real estate in Ecuador.

He shared how he survived after getting shot five times while leading a bootcamp at Christie Pits years ago.

He has also been open about spending 10 years in prison, noting that after his release, he left North America and found something different in Ecuador.

His most recent social media posts have bashed Toronto and Canada while promoting his relocation to the South American country after no longer being able to tolerate life in North America, which he once described as a “dream destination.”

“Today, housing is unaffordable, taxes are crushing, quality of life is declining and many Canadians are actively looking for an exit,” he wrote before trying to sell followers on why Ecuador is a better place to live while highlighting the benefits of “expat life.”

However, in another post, Vivar spoke about four cities “every man needs” to live in — and Toronto was one of them.

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While praising Quito, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City, he described Toronto as his “big city,” the place where he comes to “cash cheques” and “make money.”

“This is where I come four times a year for about a week at a time, ball out at a restaurant, buy some clothes, have some meetings and dip,” he said, also calling it his “launch pad to the world.”

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Mixed reviews from Torontonians

Vivar had no shortage of commenters who agreed with his opinion of Toronto.

One pointed out that “Canada has been on a downward spiral for over 10 years,” while another added, “And we are one of the highest taxed countries too.”

Many others, however, defended the city and mocked Vivar’s criticism.

“Bro saw some cigarette butts and a bum on the sidewalk and calls it third world,” one person wrote, while another agreed: “Dude stop it. Toronto is beautiful. Downtown has millions of people there will be dirt and grime. Every downtown core has this.”

A third commenter took a more sarcastic tone: “Nice rage bait. Sorry all that gum on the sidewalk frightened you. What a big scary city.”

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