Bolivia and Ecuador launch initiatives to combat transnational crime

Bolivia and Ecuador are implementing new strategies to combat the rise of transnational organized crime. In Bolivia, Vice Minister of Citizen Security Rodolfo Montero warned that years of neglect in border regions have allowed criminal groups to expand and dispute territory. To address this, the government has launched the ‘Plan Frontera Segura’ (Secure Border Plan) in Guayaramerín, Beni. The strategy focuses on four pillars: binational coordination, intelligence information exchange, collaboration in pursuing criminal gangs, and continuous police training.

In Ecuador, the National Assembly is reviewing a proposed ‘Anti-Mafia Law’ developed with support from Italian cooperation. This legislative effort follows a significant surge in violence, with aggravated homicides rising from 1,372 in 2020 to 9,216 in 2025. The proposed law aims to introduce punitive and preventive measures, including the criminalization of mafia-style associations and the mandatory confiscation of assets derived from illicit activities.