SUMMARY

Los Monos was a criminal organization based in Rosario, Santa Fe province, Argentina. In addition to its involvement in disputes with rival criminal groups, the organization perpetrated acts of one-sided violence against civilians. This violence emerged within Rosario’s broader criminal landscape, where disputes over territorial control, local drug markets, extortion schemes, and other illicit activities contributed to sustained levels of lethal violence affecting civilians.

Violent attacks perpetrated by Los Monos frequently extended beyond direct confrontations between organized criminal groups and affected broader segments of the population. In some cases, such attacks were used to intimidate local communities, enforce extortion schemes, collect debts, or strengthen territorial control over illicit markets. In other cases, civilians were targeted in robberies, retaliatory attacks, extortion-related violence, or personal disputes linked to criminal networks. Victims included a wide range of civilians such as taxi drivers, workers , and small business owners. High-profile attacks against taxi drivers, bus drivers, and others in 2024 drew national attention to the extent to which organized crime violence affected civilians in Rosario.

The organization relied primarily on firearms and contracted hitmen, to carry out targeted shootings, execution-style killings, drive-by shootings, extortion-related violence, including the targeting of civilians in public spaces. Attacks were frequently perpetrated by young recruits, also known as soldaditos (little soliders). Several investigations also suggested that attacks were at times coordinated from prison by incarcerated leaders and through external collaborators.

Los Monos first became active as a one-sided actor in UCDP data in 2022, when the one-sided violence surpassed 25 deaths.