Ecuador charges ex-minister over presidential candidate assassination case
Summary
Ecuador's prosecutors have charged a former interior minister and six others with involvement in the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The suspects include gang members and officials linked to the powerful criminal group Los Lobos, with several accused individuals currently outside Ecuador facing extradition requests.Key Facts
- Fernando Villavicencio, a presidential candidate and anti-corruption politician, was killed at a campaign event in Quito in 2023.
- Former interior minister José Serrano and cartel leader Wilmer "Pipo" Chavarria are suspected of involvement in the murder.
- Five people connected to Los Lobos gang were jailed for the killing in 2024, and Pipo was arrested in Spain after faking his death.
- Several accused individuals are fugitives located in different countries, including the US, Venezuela, and Spain, with Interpol asked to help capture them.
- Ángel Esteban Aguilar, also known as Lobo Menor, was arrested in Mexico City and returned to Ecuador; he was previously convicted for murder.
- The assassination’s alleged gunman died at the crime scene, while six other suspects were found murdered in prison before their trials.
- Ecuador is a key transit country for cocaine, with drug cartels like Los Lobos controlling routes through corruption and violence.
- Ecuador’s newly elected President Daniel Noboa has taken a military approach to fight crime gangs following these events.
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