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Since around 2018, Ecuador has suffered a security crisis resulting from conflicts between criminal organizations with connections to drug trafficking. In recent years, coca leaf production has risen in neighboring Colombia and Peru, with both cocaine and coca base entering Ecuador by land and leaving by sea. The border with Colombia became more porous after Rafael Correa in 2009 declined to renew the US military's lease at Eloy Alfaro Military Base in Manta and stopped working with the United States' Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Following Correa was Lenín Moreno, who cut funding for the prison system and the National Police of Ecuador.
Los Lobos is an Ecuadorian criminal organization that specializes in drug trafficking and working as hitmen for international partners or allied groups. Los Lobos began as a splinter group of the Los Choneros drug cartel, but broke away in 2020 after the death of Jorge Luis Zambrano, along with Los Chone Killers and Los Tiguerones. The group has over 8,000 members and mainly operates in cities of Latacunga, Cuenca, and Machala, and also in the province of Pastaza. Los Lobos participates in the cocaine exports in Ecuador.
José Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known by the alias Fito, is an Ecuadorian drug trafficker and the current leader of Los Choneros cartel. He assumed leadership in 2020 following the murder of his predecessor Jorge Luis Zambrano. He had been incarcerated since 2011, having previously escaped prison and lived as a fugitive in 2013. In January 2024, he escaped from prison again, prompting a state of emergency to be called in Ecuador for sixty days and initiating the 2024 conflict in Ecuador.
On 9 January 2024, an armed conflict broke out in Ecuador involving the country's government against several organized crime groups, most notably Los Choneros.
Los Chone Killers, or Chone Killers, are an Ecuadorian criminal and terrorist organization known for their drug trafficking activities, assassinations, and other crimes. The group split from Los Choneros in 2020, along with Los Lobos and Los Tiguerones following the murder of Los Choneros leader Jorge Luis Zambrano. The group mainly operates in Guayas Province, in particular the city of Durán.
Los Tiguerones are an Ecuadorian crime syndicate that specializes in drug trafficking activities, assassinations, and other crimes. The group split from Los Choneros in 2020, along with Los Lobos and Los Chone Killers following the murder of Los Choneros leader Jorge Luis Zambrano. The group is based in Esmeraldas.
The Ecuadorian drug war is an internal conflict in Ecuador waged by the Ecuadorian security forces against criminal groups since the beginning of 2018. The conflict is divided into two parts, the first is the Ecuadorian government against satellite groups of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel, and the second is the confrontation between said satellite groups for dominance and hegemony.
References
- ↑ Mella, Carolina (13 August 2023). "Los Choneros: Fito, the gang leader who threatened to kill candidate Fernando Villavicencio, moved to maximum security prison". El País . Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- ↑ "Fito, la mente maestra del crimen que pone en jaque a Ecuador". France24. 10 January 2024.
- ↑ "High-ranking officials held in Ecuador drug trafficking, corruption raids". BNamericas.com. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- 1 2 Crime, InSight (4 October 2021). "Choneros". InSight Crime. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ↑ Carrión, Stalin (30 December 2020). "13 años le duró el 'reinado' a Rasquiña". Extra (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
- ↑ ""Los Choneros", más de una década de violencia". El diario.ec (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ↑ Schmidt, Samantha (10 January 2024). "Ecuador TV station stormed by gunmen, president declares state of conflict". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286 . Retrieved 10 January 2024.