Authorities arrested Ecuador's Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales in Mexico City, linking him to the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio amid efforts to comba
Ecuadorian gang leader Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales, known as Lobo Menor, was arrested in Mexico City on Wednesday in connection with the 2023 murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. Mexican security minister Omar Garcia Harfuch confirmed the arrest, stating that Morales was subject to an Interpol red notice for charges including drug trafficking, extortion, and homicide.
Background on the Murder
Fernando Villavicencio, a member of Ecuador's national assembly and former journalist, was shot dead after a campaign rally in Quito in August 2023. Prosecutors previously jailed five individuals linked to the Los Lobos gang for the killing, including its then-leader Carlos Angulo, who allegedly ordered the hit from prison.
Morales, wanted by Ecuadorian authorities, had obtained documents using a fake Colombian identity, as announced by Ecuador's interior minister John Reimberg. The arrest resulted from a joint operation involving Ecuador's navy, security, and migration officers, underscoring cross-border efforts to dismantle criminal networks.
Los Lobos, designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States, has ties to Mexico's Jalisco New Generation cartel. The gang is accused of terrorizing Ecuadorians through violence and plays a significant role in cocaine trafficking, with Ecuador serving as a key transit route for drugs from Colombia and Peru.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro described Morales as one of the world's most notorious assassins and praised the trilateral cooperation between Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico. This operation represents a major blow to organized crime, as about 70% of cocaine from Colombia and Peru passes through Ecuador.
Ecuador's position between the world's largest cocaine producers has made it a hotspot for drug-related violence. The U.S. has highlighted Los Lobos' brutal activities, emphasizing the need for international action against such groups.
