The leader of one of Ecuador's biggest drug-trafficking gangs has been arrested in Mexico City, officials say. Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales - better known by the alias Lobo Menor - was wanted in connection with the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023, Ecuador's interior minister John Reimberg stated. Aguilar had obtained fake Colombian identity papers. Mexico's security minister, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed Aguilar was an Interpol red notice subject, linked to drug trafficking and homicide.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro called him 'one of the world's most notorious assassins,' saying his capture signals a notable victory against organized crime, showcasing the cooperation between Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico.
Aguilar was apprehended through a joint operation involving Ecuador's navy and security personnel. Villavicencio, a national assembly member and former journalist, was shot dead after a campaign rally in Quito in August 2023. Five gang associates were jailed for the murder, with the alleged gang leader Carlos Angulo reportedly ordering the hit from prison. Los Lobos, the gang Aguilar led, is recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US for its violent actions in Ecuador, and it has strong ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico. Ecuador, positioned between major cocaine producers Colombia and Peru, has become a significant transit hub for the drug trade, with around 70% of the cocaine from the region reportedly passing through its borders.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro called him 'one of the world's most notorious assassins,' saying his capture signals a notable victory against organized crime, showcasing the cooperation between Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico.
Aguilar was apprehended through a joint operation involving Ecuador's navy and security personnel. Villavicencio, a national assembly member and former journalist, was shot dead after a campaign rally in Quito in August 2023. Five gang associates were jailed for the murder, with the alleged gang leader Carlos Angulo reportedly ordering the hit from prison. Los Lobos, the gang Aguilar led, is recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US for its violent actions in Ecuador, and it has strong ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico. Ecuador, positioned between major cocaine producers Colombia and Peru, has become a significant transit hub for the drug trade, with around 70% of the cocaine from the region reportedly passing through its borders.
