In brief
The arrest of Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales marks a significant step in combatting transnational organized crime in Latin America. Tied to the assassination of presidential hopeful Fernando Villavicencio, Aguilar was captured in Mexico City. This operation highlights the cooperative efforts between Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico to dismantle dangerous criminal networks.
The leader of one of Ecuador's major drug-trafficking gangs has been arrested in Mexico City, according to official reports.
Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales, known by his alias Lobo Menor, was wanted for the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, as declared by Ecuador's interior minister John Reimberg.
Aguilar reportedly acquired identity documents using a fraudulent Colombian identity.
Mexican security minister Omar García Harfuch stated that Aguilar was the target of a red notice issued by Interpol and is associated with drug trafficking, extortion, and homicide.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro characterized him as one of the world's most notorious assassins.
This arrest significantly disrupts transnational organized crime and underscores the effectiveness of trilateral cooperation among Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico in combating such networks, according to Petro.
Aguilar was detained during a joint operation carried out by Ecuador's navy and security and migration officials.
Fernando Villavicencio, a former journalist and member of Ecuador's national assembly, was shot dead shortly after leaving a campaign rally in Quito in August 2023.
Five individuals connected to the gang Los Lobos, including the then-alleged leader Carlos Angulo, were imprisoned for Villavicencio's murder a year later.
Prosecutors claim that Angulo, also known as The Invisible, orchestrated the murder from prison—a claim he has rejected.
The U.S. government categorized Los Lobos as a Foreign Terrorist Organization last year, accusing it of inflicting extreme violence on the Ecuadorian populace.
The gang is believed to have strong ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico.
Ecuador's strategic location, bordering Colombia and Peru—both of which are major cocaine producers—has turned it into a significant transit route for illicit drugs, with around 70% of cocaine produced in those countries estimated to pass through Ecuador.
