Ecuador's Choneros & Tren de Aragua Leadership Under Pressure
Key Questions
What is happening to Tren de Aragua leader Larry Changa?
Larry Changa, a top Tren de Aragua leader, is set to be extradited to Chile, representing a significant blow to the gang's leadership structure.
What does the killing of David Macías Villamar indicate about Ecuador's cartels?
The killing of David Macías Villamar, brother of imprisoned Choneros leader Fito, signals ongoing fragmentation and violence within Ecuador's prison-based cartel networks.
What conditions exist in Ecuador's prisons under military control?
InSightCrime reports that torture is widespread in Ecuador's penitentiaries under military occupation, as highlighted by the 2026 Global Torture Index and the state-crime nexus.
Larry Changa, a top Tren de Aragua leader, is set to be extradited to Chile, marking a significant blow to the gang's leadership. David Macías Villamar, brother of imprisoned Choneros leader Fito, was killed in Santa Elena, indicating ongoing fragmentation and violence within Ecuador's prison-based cartel structure. New: InSightCrime reports torture is rife in Ecuador's penitentiaries under military occupation, per 2026 Global Torture Index, highlighting state-crime nexus. New: InSightCrime publishes profile of Larry Changa, tracing his evolution from car thief to transnational threat.