Quito urges Asunción to declare criminal groups terrorists in a step towards greater regional security coordination.
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The government of Daniel Noboa formally requested that Paraguay declare five criminal groups operating in the region as terrorist organizations. The proposal was made during a high-level meeting in Quito, where representatives of both countries discussed cooperation mechanisms in the field of security
.
The groups that Ecuador requests be marked as terrorists by the Peña government are Los Choneros, Los Lobos, Los Tiguerones, Chone Killers and Latin Kings. These groups are accused of participating in illegal drug trafficking in the South American region and managing illegal economies
in Ecuador. Six members of the Choneros arrested by the Ecuadorian national police
The initiative reflects the strategy of the Ecuadorian government, which since 2024 considers several criminal gangs as terrorist actors in the framework of an internal armed conflict against drug trafficking and structural violence. In this scenario, Quito seeks to strengthen regional alliances to face a phenomenon that already transcends borders and threatens the institutional stability of
several countries.
For its part, Paraguay appears to be a key partner in this process. The government of Santiago Peña has already taken steps in that direction in the past, declaring groups linked to international drug trafficking as terrorist organizations, which positions it as an actor willing to adopt firm measures in the face of this type of threat. This previous experience gives him a relevant role in building a more coordinated regional strategy
.
From a security perspective, the Ecuadorian proposal aims to tighten the legal framework and facilitate cooperation between forces from different countries, allowing for greater information exchange, joint operations and tougher sanctions against these organizations. In a context where criminal networks operate on an international scale, this type of measure seeks to balance the state response in the face of increasingly complex structures
. Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano
In addition, coordination between Ecuador and Paraguay can be interpreted as part of a larger change in Latin America, where several governments are beginning to adopt tougher approaches to drug trafficking and organized crime. The growing violence in countries such as Ecuador, with attacks, kidnappings and attacks attributed to criminal gangs, has led to a rethinking of traditional security strategies
.
In this framework, the rapprochement between the two countries not only represents an immediate response to the crisis, but also an attempt to lay the foundations for a firmer and more coordinated regional policy. Paraguay's possible decision could set a precedent for other countries to adopt similar measures, consolidating a common position in the face of one of the region's main challenges
