Ecuador's Gang War Legacy: How Rasquiña Shaped the Country's Crime Landscape

Ecuador is currently grappling with a significant surge in gang-related violence, driven largely by the fragmentation of criminal organizations and intense rivalry among various gangs. A key figure behind this volatile situation is Jorge Luis Zambrano, commonly known as "JL" or "Rasquiña." His influence began to be felt in Ecuador's underworld during the 2010s when he transformed a small gang of street thugs into a powerful national criminal federation.

From within the country’s prisons, Rasquiña recruited and united various youth gangs, thieves, extortionists, and micro-traffickers under the banner of the Choneros. This network included individuals who would later become prominent figures in Ecuador's security challenges, such as Wilmer Geovanny Chavarría Barré (alias "Pipo"), William Joffre Alcívar Bautista (alias "Willy"), and the Camacho brothers, leaders of the Chone Killers. By integrating these groups into his criminal federation, Rasquiña established a robust network that controlled prisons across Ecuador.

Under Rasquiña's leadership, the Choneros expanded their reach beyond prison walls to dominate strategic drug trafficking territories nationwide. They operated as mercenaries for larger criminal organizations and corruption networks, including Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. This model of organized crime persisted even after Rasquiña was killed in 2020 following his release from prison under controversial circumstances.

The murder of Rasquiña marked a turning point in Ecuador's criminal landscape. It led to the disintegration of the Choneros network, which had previously maintained relative stability through its centralized control. Since then, the breakdown of this once-cohesive federation has fueled ongoing gang wars and increased violence across the country. Various theories exist regarding the motive behind Rasquiña’s assassination, ranging from internal power struggles within his own organization to external threats posed by rival drug trafficking groups.

The legacy of Rasquiña continues to shape Ecuador's criminal environment today, with gangs now operating independently or in smaller alliances rather than under a unified command structure. This shift has resulted in heightened levels of violence and instability, posing significant challenges for law enforcement and public safety efforts in the region.