Three alleged leaders of the organized crime group Los Lobos are being linked to the assassination of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, according to Ecuador's prosecutors.
Ecuador's prosecutors have identified Wilmer Geovanny Chavarría Barré, his stepson Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales, and Luis Arboleda as the intellectual authors behind the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, who was killed in a hit-style crime on August 9, 2023, just weeks before the first round of the early presidential elections. Evidence, including testimonies and chats, is purported to indicate their planning and execution involvement in the crime.
The legal proceedings began on February 10, with Judge Geovanny Freire presiding over the hearing to formally link these individuals to the case. Chavarría was apprehended in Málaga, Spain, on November 16 after having faked his own death to escape legal repercussions in Ecuador. The arrest raises questions about the extent of organized crime's influence in the region and the challenges faced by law enforcement to combat such groups.
The implications of this case are significant, as Villavicencio was a prominent opposition candidate known for his anti-corruption stance and criticisms of drug-trafficking and organized crime in Ecuador. His assassination has heightened concerns regarding political stability and security in the country, underpinning an urgent need for effective strategies to address rising violence attributed to organized crime.
