On March 20, 2026, the General Prosecutor's Office of Ecuador issued a statement denying a request from the defense of Wilmer Chavarría, known as 'Pipo', who leads the criminal group Los Lobos. The defense sought access to audio recordings of testimonies that Pipo had provided in Spain before his involvement in the case concerning the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, who was a prominent political figure in Ecuador. These testimonies were part of a legal cooperation agreement known as the international legal assistance protocol (API) between Ecuador and Spain.

The rejection was communicated by prosecutor Ana Hidalgo, who noted that the request was denied based on the principle of specialty, which restricts the use of information obtained under international assistance agreements to the specific purpose for which it was requested. This significant legal boundary prevents the defense from utilizing the information in their ongoing legal strategy and reflects the complex interplay between international law enforcement cooperation and national legal proceedings.

The denial of this request has implications for the defense’s legal options and potentially impacts the broader investigation into the intellectual authors behind the murder of Villavicencio. The case has been closely watched in Ecuador, given that Villavicencio was not only a victim of violent crime but also an important political figure who had garnered significant public attention around issues of crime and corruption. The developments in this case highlight the challenges faced in navigating international legal frameworks and the prosecution's commitment to adhering to those frameworks in high-profile criminal cases.