Key facts
- Ecuadorian prosecutors have charged former interior minister José Serrano and six others.
- The charges are related to the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
- The accused are suspected of playing an indirect role in the murder.
- Many of the individuals charged have ties to the Los Lobos criminal gang.
- Interpol red notices have been requested for the capture and extradition of fugitives located in the US, Venezuela, and Spain.
Prosecutors in Ecuador have charged former interior minister José Serrano and six others with suspicion of involvement in the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The charges suggest an indirect role in the killing, with many of the accused linked to the powerful Los Lobos criminal gang.
Villavicencio, a journalist and legislator known for his anti-corruption stance, was shot dead at a campaign event in Quito days before the 2023 election. He had received death threats and was under security detail. Five individuals linked to the Los Lobos gang were jailed in 2024 for orchestrating the hit, while the alleged gunman was killed at the scene. Six other men found murdered in prison while awaiting trial were also linked to the case.
Among the seven named by the Attorney General's Office are Serrano and Xavier Jordán, reportedly in the US; former assemblyman Ronny Aleaga, in Venezuela; and Wilmer "Pipo" Chavarria, head of Los Lobos, captured in Spain after faking his death. Interpol red notices have been requested for their capture and extradition. Ángel Esteban Aguilar, also known as Lobo Menor, was arrested in Mexico City in March and returned to Ecuador; he had previously been sentenced to 20 years for murder and fled after parole. Luis Arboleda, a senior Los Lobos member, is also accused.
Ecuador's strategic location between major cocaine-producing countries has made it a transit hub for illicit drugs, with cartels like Los Lobos using corruption and violence to control supply routes and reportedly having deep connections to Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Pre-trial hearings are ongoing, and a judge will decide if the case proceeds to a full trial.