<p>Gang violence and crime has surged to unprecedented levels in Ecuador in recent years. Groups like the Lobos, the Choneros, and the Tiguerones fight for alliances with international drug trafficking groups and control over strategic territories. In the areas they control, these groups reign through violence, threatening and extorting residents. </p><p>In response, President Daniel Noboa has taken a hard line against the country’s criminal groups, declaring states of emergency, deploying troops to fight gangs, [and] seeking international support to bolster his fight. And the government says its efforts have been successful. But have they? </p><p><a href="https://insightcrime.org/news/ecuadors-authorities-say-extortion-down-reality-more-complicated/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Ecuador Says Extortion Is Down. The Reality Is More Complicated.</a> | Written by Gavin Voss and Steven Dudley, and read by Stella Horrell.</p><p>Visit insightcrime.org for more information.</p>