In a landmark development, Ecuadorian prosecutors have indicted a former interior minister and the head of cartel Los Lobos, Wilmer "Pipo" Chavarria, on suspicion of their involvement in the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The murder occurred during a campaign event in Quito, just before the election. Five members of the criminal gang were imprisoned for the hit in 2024, while Pipo was apprehended in Spain last year after faking his own death. A journalist-turned-legislator, Villavicencio was known for his anti-corruption stance and alleged links between organized crime and government officials. His security detail was enhanced due to numerous death threats he received. Daniel Noboa, who later became Ecuador's president, has taken a stern military approach towards combating criminal gangs since assuming office. The five convicted in 2024 were purported masterminds of the assassination; the alleged gunman was killed at the scene, while six other accomplices were slain in prison before trial. Seven individuals, including Serrano and senior Los Lobos member Luis Arboleda, are accused by the Ecuadorean Attorney General's Office of indirectly playing a role in Villavicencio's murder. Five of these alleged perpetrators are now fugitives, with four residing abroad – Serrano and Xavier Jordán in the US, Ronny Aleaga in Venezuela, and Pipo in Spain, awaiting extradition proceedings. Ángel Esteban Aguilar, also known as Lobo Menor, was captured in Mexico City in March following an Interpol red notice issued over Villavicencio's murder. He was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of Serrano's brother but fled after receiving parole. The country's geographical position – sandwiched between Colombia and Peru, the world's largest producers of cocaine – has made it a significant transit hub for illicit drugs, with cartels like Los Lobos employing corruption and violence to control supply routes and maintain deep connections with the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico.