In brief
Ecuadorian prosecutors have charged a former interior minister, José Serrano, and six others with involvement in the assassination of election candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The lethal attack, occurring at a Quito rally, was tied to the powerful Los Lobos cartel. Five suspects have already been convicted, while several remain fugitives abroad. The case highlights increasing violence against political figures amid a broader crackdown on drug‑related crime gangs.
Prosecutors in Ecuador have charged a former interior minister and six others on suspicion of involvement in the assassination of a presidential candidate in 2023.
José Serrano, the former interior minister, and the head of the Los Lobos cartel, Wilmer “Pipo” Chavarria, were implicated in the fatal attack on Fernando Villavicencio at a campaign event in Quito days before the election. Villavicencio, a journalist turned legislator, was known for his hard‑nosed anti‑corruption stance and openly accused officials of collusion with criminal gangs.
Five members of the Los Lobos network were convicted in 2024 of orchestrating the hit; the alleged gunman was killed on the spot and six others were murdered while awaiting trial in prison. Prosecutors say the convicted defendants played indirect roles, with many having ties to Los Lobos, one of the country’s most powerful criminal gangs.
Five of the accused have fled abroad: Serrano and Xavier Jordán are in the United States, former assemblyman Ronny Aleaga is in Venezuela, while Pipo remains in Spain with an extradition request pending. The Attorney General’s office has asked Interpol for red notices to locate and extradite them.
Ángel Esteban Aguilar, also known as Lobo Menor, was arrested in Mexico City in March following a red notice issued over Villavicencio’s murder and returned to Ecuador for trial.
The case underscores Ecuador’s role as a key transit point for cocaine between Colombia, Peru, and the rest of the world, with cartels like Los Lobos leveraging corruption and violence to control supply routes. The gang also has deep connections to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico.
