In a significant international law enforcement operation, Mexican authorities have apprehended Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales, a high-ranking leader within one of Ecuador’s most formidable drug-trafficking syndicates. The arrest, which took place in Mexico City, marks a pivotal development in a transnational criminal investigation.
Operating under the alias ‘Lobo Menor,’ Aguilar Morales was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and was wanted for his alleged involvement in the 2023 assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. Ecuador’s Interior Minister, John Reimberg, confirmed that the suspect had been utilizing falsified Colombian identification documents to evade capture.
Mexico’s Security Minister, Omar Garcia Harfuch, detailed the charges against Aguilar, linking him to extensive criminal operations including international narcotics trafficking, extortion, and multiple homicides. The successful operation was a collaborative effort, involving personnel from Ecuador’s navy, security forces, and migration officers.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro hailed the capture, labeling Aguilar ‘one of the world’s most notorious assassins.’ President Petro emphasized that the arrest demonstrates the potent effectiveness of trilateral coordination between Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico in combating sophisticated multi-crime networks.
The victim, Fernando Villavicencio, was a prominent journalist and member of the National Assembly. He was fatally shot in August 2023 after departing a campaign event in Quito. A year following the assassination, five individuals connected to the Los Lobos gang, including its alleged leader Carlos Angulo (known as ‘The Invisible’), were convicted and imprisoned for the murder. Prosecutors asserted that Angulo orchestrated the hit from within his prison cell, a claim he continues to deny.
The U.S. government designated Los Lobos a Foreign Terrorist Organization last year, condemning the group for inflicting brutal violence and terror upon the citizens of Ecuador. The gang is reported to maintain deep operational ties with Mexico’s powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
This arrest also highlights Ecuador’s critical and vulnerable position in the global drug trade. Situated between Colombia and Peru—the world’s primary cocaine producers—the nation has become a major transit hub. An estimated 70% of the cocaine originating from these countries is trafficked through its borders, fueling extreme violence and corruption.