Prosecutor Ana Hidalgo formally accused Wilmer Chavarría Barré, the leader of the Los Lobos gang, of directing the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. Hidalgo presented 15 elements of conviction gathered over four months of investigation during a hearing on Wednesday afternoon at the Complejo Judicial Norte in Quito.
The hearing is part of the preparatory trial phase against seven people accused as the intellectual authors of the hitman-style murder of Villavicencio, who was a candidate for the Alianza Gente Nueva-Construye coalition when he was killed on August 9, 2023. Hidalgo took less than an hour to read the evidence supporting her indictment against Chavarría Barré, who is also known by the alias Pipo.
The prosecution also outlined individual evidence against four other suspects accused as intermediary authors. These include Xavier Jordán, who has been called to trial in the Metástasis case, and José Serrano, a former Interior Minister under Rafael Correa. They also include Ronny Aleaga, a former assembly member for Revolución Ciudadana known as Ruso, and Daniel Salcedo, who was previously convicted of corruption involving medical supplies and judicial interference.
Suspects and Extradition Proceedings
The prosecution named Chavarría Barré as the first member of Los Lobos processed for participating in the murder. The list of gang members under investigation also includes Luis Arboleda, known as Gordo Luis, who attended Wednesday's hearing in person, and Esteban Aguilar, known as Lobo Menor, who is Chavarría Barré's stepson.
Chavarría Barré is currently detained in Spain, where he faces an active extradition process to return him to Ecuador. Testimony from witnesses, including Lenín Vimos and Marcelo Lasso, indicates that Chavarría Barré planned the crime, authorized gang members to carry it out, and maintained a close relationship with Salcedo. Witnesses also stated that Chavarría Barré lived in Spain under the false identity of Danilo Fernández Calderón after faking his death during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador.
Spanish judicial cooperation provided Ecuador with a statement Chavarría Barré gave while in custody in Spain. Hidalgo noted that Ecuador sent a package of 24 questions that Chavarría Barré refused to answer. Instead, he made claims aligning with other defendants, arguing that the case was fabricated, witnesses were forged, and he faced political persecution. He also stated that his life would be in danger in Ecuador, denied using an alias, disowned his stepson, and claimed he filed legal complaints that Ecuadorian authorities have no record of receiving.
Planning and Court Schedule
Hidalgo stated that Chavarría Barré received the original order to kill Villavicencio as the top leader of Los Lobos. She said he assigned operators, activated criminal resources, supervised surveillance teams, and authorized the killing.
Using his authority within the gang, Chavarría Barré triangulated police information, reviewed sensitive data about Villavicencio, and delegated tasks to subordinates. Hidalgo added that he participated in joint decision-making meetings with the intellectual authors using video calls on prepaid applications.
The court session adjourned at around 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5. The preparatory trial hearing is scheduled to resume on Thursday, August 6, at 9:00 a.m.
