In Ecuador, a former minister has been charged in connection with the murder of a candidate
The Ecuadorian Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against former Interior Minister José Serrano and six other individuals in connection with the 2023 murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. According to BBC News, investigators believe the defendants may have played an indirect role in the crime.
Villavicencio was shot and killed during a campaign event in Ecuador’s capital, Quito, a few days before the 2023 presidential election. He was a journalist who later became a prominent lawmaker. The politician was known for his anti-corruption stance and had spoken out about links between organized crime and government officials. Due to threats, he had security detail, but continued to participate in campaign events.
Among those implicated in the new investigation are Los Lobos gang leader Wilmer “Pipo” Chavarria, Xavier Jordan, former lawmaker Ronnie Aleaga, Ángel Esteban Aguilar—nicknamed Lobo Menor—and high-ranking Los Lobos member Luis Arboleda. The BBC describes Los Lobos, or “The Wolves,” as one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal groups.
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In 2024, five individuals linked to this group were convicted in the Villavicencio murder case. According to the BBC, they were believed to have been involved in organizing the attack. The alleged shooter was killed at the scene of the crime, and six other men awaiting trial were later found dead in prison.
According to Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office, five of the newly charged individuals are considered fugitives. Serrano and Jordan are in the United States, Aleaga is in Venezuela, and Chavarria is in Spain, where he is awaiting a decision on his extradition request. Chavarria was arrested in Spain last year after he faked his own death. The prosecutor’s office has requested Interpol to issue Red Notices for the arrest and extradition of the suspects.
Aguilar was arrested in Mexico City in March and returned to Ecuador after a Red Notice was issued in connection with the Villavicencio murder case. In 2013, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of Serrano’s brother, but he fled after being released early. Preliminary hearings are currently underway, and the judge must decide whether there are sufficient grounds to refer the case to a full trial.
