Who Are Los Choneros, the Sinaloa Cartel-Affiliated Group at the Center of Ecuador's Narco-Violence?

Guayaquil, a city of almost three million people, has borne the brunt of Ecuador's descent into drug violence, with foreign cartels using the port to flood the world with cocaine from its neighbors. (Credit: AFP)

The images that shocked the world, depicting the live takeover of a television station by a group of armed men wearing balaclavas, added a dramatic touch to the escalating violence that has engulfed Ecuador for several months. Analysts attribute part of the problem to the presence of criminal factions affiliated with Mexican and Colombian drug cartels.

President Daniel Noboa ordered the deployment of the Armed Forces nationwide to combat narco-terrorist groups. He declared an "internal armed conflict" in response to the national security emergency provoked by the escape of one of the country's most notorious drug lords.