Prosecutors in Ecuador have charged former Interior Minister José Serrano and the head of the Los Lobos cartel, Wilmer "Pipo" Chavarria, along with six others, on suspicion of playing an indirect role in the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
Villavicencio, a journalist and legislator known for his anti-corruption platform and allegations of links between organized crime and government officials, was killed at a campaign event in Quito days before the election. Despite receiving death threats, he continued to participate in public campaigns with a security detail.
According to the Ecuadorean Attorney General's Office, the seven individuals are accused of having an indirect role in the killing, with many linked to Los Lobos, identified as one of the nation's most powerful criminal gangs. Five individuals connected to the gang were convicted over Villavicencio's murder in 2024, and the alleged gunman was killed at the scene. Six other men awaiting trial in connection with the case were found murdered in prison.
Chavarria, also known as "Pipo," was apprehended in Spain last year after reportedly faking his own death. Serrano and Xavier Jordán are believed to be in the United States, while former assemblyman Ronny Aleaga is reportedly in Venezuela. The Attorney General's Office has requested Interpol red notices for their capture and extradition.
Ángel Esteban Aguilar, also known as Lobo Menor, was arrested in Mexico City in March and extradited to Ecuador following an Interpol red notice related to Villavicencio's murder. He was among those arrested and returned to Ecuador.
Daniel Noboa, who won the subsequent election and is now Ecuador's president, has implemented a stringent military approach to combatting criminal gangs. Five of the seven individuals named in the recent charges are considered fugitives, with extradition requests pending for those located abroad.