US Imposes Sanctions on Ecuador’s Los Choneros Gang

U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Ecuadorian Gang Los Choneros

The United States has announced sanctions against the Ecuadorian criminal organization known as Los Choneros and its leader, according to a statement from the U.S. Treasury Department.

Importance of the Action

The decision comes in response to the escalating violence in Ecuador, which prompted President Daniel Noboa to initiate a military crackdown on gangs and declare a 60-day state of emergency last month.

Los Choneros is accused of involvement in extortion, murder, and drug trafficking, as well as controlling the country’s overcrowded and violence-ridden prisons.

The sanctions will freeze any U.S. assets belonging to the gang and its leader, effectively prohibiting Americans from engaging in transactions with them. However, it remains unclear how many assets the group holds in the U.S.

Key Statement

"We recognize that drug trafficking gangs like Los Choneros, many of which have connections to powerful drug cartels in Mexico, pose a significant threat to the safety and stability of communities in Ecuador and the wider region," stated Brian Nelson, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the Treasury Department. "We continue to support Ecuador in its efforts to combat drug trafficking, reduce the influence of prison gangs and violence, and reclaim its streets."

Background Context

The Treasury Department noted that Los Choneros has been entrenched in drug trafficking in Ecuador since the 1990s and has been a major factor in the surge of violence in the country since 2020.

Jose Adolfo Macias, the gang’s leader, has been evading authorities since his disappearance from prison on January 7, where he was serving a 34-year sentence for several serious offenses, including drug trafficking and murder.

President Noboa declared a two-month state of emergency shortly after Macias went missing, which was coincided with a violent incident where armed individuals attacked a television station and took over 200 prison officials hostage.