Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja), Ecuador: A Strategic Black Spot?

Abstract

Lago Agrio is a hidden ungoverned territory or black spot in eastern Ecuador that is a central node to the many security related issues of Ecuador. For the last two decades, there is proof that this region is being used to support illicit activity and is growing in importance. This almost lawless area is a haven for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Transnational Organized Criminals (TOC), serving as a major hub in a pipeline that moves not only cocaine and weapons, but also humans, precursor chemicals, and hundreds of millions of dollars each year. The emergence of new state and non-state TOC groups in Ecuador along with their hybrid alliances with regional and international terrorist organizations and states that sponsor them pose a growing, dangerous, and immediate security threat to the United States and international community. The United States should prioritize Ecuador and in particular target the Lago Agrio region for intelligence collection and further analysis.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA589128

Entities

People

  • John A. Conway

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Colombia
  • Criminals
  • Employment
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Fungi
  • Geography
  • Governments
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Petroleum
  • Recreation
  • Security
  • South America
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Military Science
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.