The leader of one of Ecuador's largest drug-trafficking gangs, Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales, known as Lobo Menor, has been arrested in Mexico City, according to officials. He is wanted in connection with the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023.
Ecuador's interior minister John Reimberg confirmed the arrest, stating that Aguilar had acquired false documentation using a Colombian identity. Mexico's security minister, Omar García Harfuch, noted that Aguilar was subject to an Interpol red notice and is linked to drug trafficking, extortion, and homicide. Colombian President Gustavo Petro referred to Aguilar as one of the world's most notorious assassins.
The recent arrest is considered a major victory in the ongoing battle against organized crime, demonstrating effective trilateral cooperation among Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico. Aguilar was apprehended during a coordinated operation that involved Ecuador’s navy along with security and migration officers.
Villavicencio, a well-known politician and former journalist, was assassinated at a campaign rally in Quito in August 2023. His murder prompted the imprisonment of several individuals connected to Los Lobos, including the gang's previous leader Carlos Angulo, who allegedly orchestrated the killing from prison. The U.S. has designated Los Lobos as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, citing their violent actions against the Ecuadorean populace. With Ecuador positioned between the world's major cocaine producers, it's become a crucial transit hub for illicit drugs, with around 70% of cocaine from Colombia and Peru believed to pass through the country.
Ecuador's interior minister John Reimberg confirmed the arrest, stating that Aguilar had acquired false documentation using a Colombian identity. Mexico's security minister, Omar García Harfuch, noted that Aguilar was subject to an Interpol red notice and is linked to drug trafficking, extortion, and homicide. Colombian President Gustavo Petro referred to Aguilar as one of the world's most notorious assassins.
The recent arrest is considered a major victory in the ongoing battle against organized crime, demonstrating effective trilateral cooperation among Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico. Aguilar was apprehended during a coordinated operation that involved Ecuador’s navy along with security and migration officers.
Villavicencio, a well-known politician and former journalist, was assassinated at a campaign rally in Quito in August 2023. His murder prompted the imprisonment of several individuals connected to Los Lobos, including the gang's previous leader Carlos Angulo, who allegedly orchestrated the killing from prison. The U.S. has designated Los Lobos as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, citing their violent actions against the Ecuadorean populace. With Ecuador positioned between the world's major cocaine producers, it's become a crucial transit hub for illicit drugs, with around 70% of cocaine from Colombia and Peru believed to pass through the country.
