The Lobos, a major narco-criminal gang in Ecuador, has splintered, and the fallout is raising concerns about a potential spike in violent crime in Quito. Similar divisions within the gang have already caused deadly violence in other regions like Manabí and Azuay. According to Ecuadorian police, three rival leaders are now vying for control of the capital's drug trade, intensifying the risks of violent confrontations.

Who Are the Key Figures?

The Lobos' internal split has given rise to a faction known as the Lobos Invisibles. The group is reportedly led by three individuals with extensive criminal histories:

- Fabricio Colón Pico (*alias* "El Salvaje"): Recently sentenced for threatening the State Attorney General and her young daughter.

- Elvis Conde (*alias* "Maduro"): Convicted of murdering lawyer Harrison Salcedo and implicated in a prison escape in early 2024.

- Danny Córdova (*alias* "Comandante M" or "Fuerte"): Also a key player in the escalating rivalry.

These individuals are fighting for dominance in Quito’s lucrative drug market, where cocaine and marijuana are the most trafficked substances.

Practical Implications and Actions to Take

The escalating violence could significantly impact safety in Quito, particularly if authorities are unable to contain the gang disputes. To minimize risks:

1. Stay Informed: Monitor news and official safety alerts for updates on high-risk areas.

2. Avoid Certain Neighborhoods: Refrain from visiting areas known for drug activity or violence.

3. Plan Travel Carefully: Consider secure transportation options and avoid traveling alone at night.

Source: La Hora.

A troubling incident in Cuenca highlights the risks of online dating apps like Tinder. A local young man, Pedro Tenorio, shared his experience of being drugged, assaulted, and robbed after meeting someone through the app. His story sheds light on a growing trend involving scopolamine, a powerful drug used to incapacitate victims.

The incident

On November 29, Tenorio arranged to meet a woman he had been chatting with on Tinder. The meeting took place at a mall in Cuenca, but he quickly noticed discrepancies. "Her appearance didn’t match her photos," Tenorio said, admitting he ignored this red flag.

After a brief conversation, the woman insisted they go to a park instead of a restaurant or bar. While there, a man claiming to be her brother arrived in a black car. The pair offered Tenorio a drink, and shortly after consuming it, he lost consciousness.

The aftermath

Tenorio woke up hours later, injured and disoriented. A taxi driver found him walking along a street in Cuenca, bloodied and crying. He had been beaten and robbed of his laptop, phone, wallet, and $500 in cash, including his recent paycheck.

Growing Concerns

This incident isn’t isolated. Similar cases have been reported in Cuenca and other regions. Scopolamine, often referred to as "devil’s breath," is commonly used in such scams in Colombia and is now appearing in Ecuador. Mixed with alcohol, the drug can erase memory and render victims compliant, making them easy targets.

Safety Measures

Authorities and experts urge both locals and tourists to exercise caution when meeting strangers from dating apps:

• Verify profiles carefully: Even verified accounts can be fake due to advanced AI technologies.

• Meet in public places: Avoid isolated locations or private areas.

• Avoid accepting drinks: Only consume drinks you’ve seen prepared.

Tenorio's case has caught the attention of the provincial governor, Santiago Malo, who pledged to address the issue. Meanwhile, Tenorio continues to recover from both physical injuries, including a fractured nose, and the emotional toll of the attack.

Source: Primicias.

The Ecuadorian government has extended the state of exception for 30 more days in six provinces and two cantons. This decision was made by President Daniel Noboa through Executive Decree 469, signed on Monday, December 2, 2024.

The state of exception, declared due to severe internal unrest, includes the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Santa Elena, El Oro, and Orellana, as well as the Metropolitan District of Quito (Pichincha) and the canton of Camilo Ponce Enríquez (Azuay).

This extension follows the conditions set out in the original declaration from October. The government emphasized that the primary goal of the measure is to ensure public order, social peace, and peaceful coexistence.

What This means for you

If you're in one of the affected areas, expect increased military and police patrols. While these measures aim to improve safety, be aware of potential disruptions to daily life, including checkpoints and stricter enforcement of public order regulations.

Source: El Universo.

Cuenca is experiencing a surge in water meter thefts, causing widespread concern among residents. In the last three months, several thefts have been reported in both residential and commercial properties. One of the most recent incidents occurred on November 15, at the Misioneras de María Corredentora, where thieves stole five meters and damaged several water pipes. The theft was discovered when neighbors noticed water leakage, prompting them to alert the religious group.

Other incidents include a theft on November 6, where seven meters were stolen from a location on Pío Bravo and Presidente Borrero streets, and another theft on November 7, where eight meters were taken from a property on Simón Bolívar and Miguel Vélez streets.

Marizta Tapia, a victim of one such theft, reported the crime to the Azuay Prosecutor’s Office and provided security footage showing the perpetrators—three men wearing hoodies, carrying backpacks, and removing the meters with remarkable ease. Tapia suspects that these thieves may be operating under the direction of someone with the intention of selling the stolen meters, and has urged local police to increase patrols during the night when these thefts typically occur.

Carlos Cajilema, a meter reader for ETAPA EP, emphasized that the stolen meters are uniquely coded to individual users, making them unusable elsewhere. Each meter is registered with a customer account number and is not reusable by anyone else. New meters cost about $130, and victims must purchase them to restore their water service.

In response, ETAPA EP has launched a campaign advising property owners to take additional security measures, such as installing metal boxes or grids around meters, and to verify the identity of meter readers. ETAPA EP also encourages reporting thefts immediately through their branches or the direct line 188.

The thefts are driven by the high value of the metals in the meters, particularly copper and, to a lesser extent, bronze. These materials are in high demand for manufacturing cables, machinery parts, and other industrial products. The stolen materials can be easily sold at scrap yards or recycling centers without proper checks on their origin. Authorities are also investigating the possibility that stolen meters are being resold in neighboring cantons. Municipalities and community water organizations are on alert.

Out of 300 municipal video surveillance systems, 100 have been upgraded with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the remaining 200 are expected to be updated by the end of the year. The new systems feature 360-degree coverage, eliminating blind spots and providing detailed information, such as identifying incidents through personal features, vehicle plates, and other critical details.

One of the newly installed systems is located in the Cayambe neighborhood, a high-risk area, where the AI cameras are expected to help control crime. According to Pablo Cueva, director of the Citizen Security Council (CSC), an additional AI video analytics server will be acquired, and the private sector will donate another. Additionally, 80 new cameras with AI capabilities will be installed in various parts of the city, including the commercial and financial districts, by mid-2025.

Despite these advancements, there is concern over Decree 397, which transfers control of municipal surveillance cameras to the ECU-911 emergency system. The president of the Ecuadorian Association of Municipalities (AME), Patricio Maldonado, expressed worries about this decision, as the ECU-911 lacks the resources to maintain the cameras already under its responsibility.

Source: El Mercurio.

The president has decreed a new curfew for parts of Ecuador from 10 pm to 5 am. See the image for the cantons with a curfew.

Primicias has a story about how fishermen in the Salinas region are forced to work for drug gangs. This article gives a good insight into what's going on in the ports and beaches of this region.

• Salinas and its surrounding areas are key points for sending cocaine to the USA and Europe.

• Unlike in Guayaquil, small fishing boats are used to transport drugs here.

• The gangs operate by the "plata o plomo" principle: fishermen are asked to transport cocaine in exchange for money (plata), and if they refuse, they may get killed (plomo means "lead" in English and stands for the lead of bullets).

• The following gangs operate in the Salinas region: Los Choneros, Los Lagartos, Los Tiguerones, Los Chone Killers, and Los Lobos.

• Fishermen rarely meet the top leaders of the drug operations; they usually only deal with middlemen.

• Fishermen earn around USD 10,000 per shipment, typically receiving USD 5,000 before a shipment and USD 5,000 after. However, they do not always receive the latter amount.

• Fishermen run the risk of getting involved in confrontations between competing gangs at sea and also risk being extorted by rival gangs.

France 24 has published a documentary about the security crisis in Guayaquil. Guayaquil has always been a city with security problems, but the situation has deteriorated since last year.  

Primicias reported that a recent study revealed that four out of every 10 small businesses in Ecuador faced extortion in 2023.   

Since 2021, extortion of businesses in Ecuador has surged, becoming a major funding source for drug gangs. The Ecuadorian Organized Crime Observatory (OECO) surveyed 458 business owners in various regions, finding that in 2023, three out of every 10 companies were extorted, with 40% of cases going unreported.

Small businesses are frequent targets because they lack security measures. According to the OECO, 38% of small business owners experienced extortion in the last year, often facing multiple demands.

Extortion methods include calls, electronic messages, and visits. Besides extortion, companies also suffer from kidnapping, vandalism, fraud, and theft. Smaller businesses face more extortion, while larger ones experience more kidnappings.

In 2023, there were 21,811 extortion reports, a 2,430% increase from 2019. The rise was notable in 2023, with Guayas, Pichincha, Esmeraldas, and Los Ríos being the most affected provinces.

On Monday, June 10, 2024, an expat couple became the victims of a violent home invasion in El Carmen, a village 12 km north of Vilcabamba. This is one of many home invasions in the Vilcabamba area, but the violent nature of this incident makes it stand out.

Below you can read a document that was published about this home invasion. I don't know who the author of the document is, but Nicholas Crowder, one of the administrators of the Ecuador Expat Discussion Facebook group and in contact with the victims, told me that the documents accurately describe what happened during the home invasion.

Some thoughts about this home invasion and the security situation in the Vilcabamba area:

1. Home invasions are not new in the Vilcabamba area. Every few years, there seems to be a new wave of home invasions. Some people claim that in 2023, a new home invasion occurred every two weeks.
2. The violence of this home invasion is remarkable. Previously, there were also sometimes violent home invasions in the Vilcabamba area, but this one is clearly a new low, aside from the home invasion during which an expat was shot dead last year.
3. The attackers had a hostile attitude. The fact is that some locals have little regard for expats. One possible reason is that Vilcabamba has a very high percentage of expats, which has led to high housing prices in the area. There are, of course, locals who profit from this, but there are also many locals for whom owning a home has become too expensive. Additionally, there is little integration of expats into the local community.
4. A possible taxi driver is mentioned as an accomplice. Taxi drivers in Ecuador are often involved in criminal activities. It is therefore advisable never to give your exact home address to a taxi driver. Never let a taxi stop exactly at the place where you live. Only walk to your house once the taxi is out of sight.
5. It is not surprising that in this case, the police were passive and did not conduct a thorough investigation. This is a known problem in Ecuador. One possibility is that the police are somehow involved in these robberies.
6. The author suggests that locals actively seek contact with expats and befriend them to profile them. This is certainly a possibility. Therefore, it is important to be careful about sharing sensitive information and inviting people into your home.
7. The author provides good preventive measures. These measures reduce the risk of becoming a victim of home invasions, but this is by no means a guarantee that nothing can happen. These home invasions are not crimes of opportunity but seem to be well-prepared.
8. A safer alternative to the Vilcabamba area is the Yunguilla Valley, south of Cuenca. The climate and landscape are similar. While the Vilcabamba area is popular among wealthy people from Loja, Yunguilla is popular among wealthy people from Cuenca. Unlike the Vilcabamba area, home invasions are not a problem in the Yunguilla area. There are virtually no reports of home invasions in the Yunguilla Valley.

Guayaquil registered 1,537 murders in 2022. Its homicide rate was 48 per 100,000 inhabitants. Guayaquil ranks 24th in the list of the most violent cities of 2022, prepared by the Citizen Council for Public Safety and Criminal Justice of Mexico.

The owner of Cava's Sports Bar in Salinas, an expat, was shot in the leg during the robbery of his venue this afternoon. Friends have visited him in the hospital where he is treated and say that he is OK and in good spirits.