Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales, a leader of the Ecuadorian criminal gang Los Lobos, was arrested at Mexico City’s international airport on Wednesday. Known by his alias 'Lobo Menor,' Aguilar is wanted for the 2023 assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The arrest followed a coordinated effort involving authorities from Colombia, Mexico, and Ecuador.
Key Takeaways
Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales, a leader of the Ecuadorian criminal gang Los Lobos, was arrested in Mexico City for his alleged role in the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The arrest highlights trilateral cooperation between Colombia, Mexico, and Ecuador.
- Ángel Esteban Aguilar Morales, alias 'Lobo Menor,' arrested at Mexico City’s international airport
- Linked to the 2023 murder of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio
- Subject of an Interpol Red Notice for drug trafficking, extortion, and homicide
- Attempted to enter Mexico using a false Colombian identity
- U.S. designated Los Lobos as a terrorist organization in September
Aguilar attempted to enter Mexico using a false Colombian identity under the name Juan Carlos Montero Mestre. Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch confirmed that Aguilar was placed under real-time surveillance upon his arrival in Mexico City. According to multiple reports, he was subsequently transferred into the custody of Colombia's migration authorities.
Aguilar is one of the most-wanted fugitives in Ecuador and has been linked to various criminal activities, including drug trafficking, extortion, and homicide. He is also alleged to have ties with Mexican cartels and Néstor Gregorio Vera, known as Iván Mordisco, a leader of a dissident faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The U.S. designated Los Lobos as a terrorist organization in September 2023.
The arrest comes amid heightened tensions between Ecuador and Colombia over drug trafficking and organized crime. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump gathered Latin American leaders at the 'Shield of the Americas' summit to prioritize military tactics against organized crime. The collaborative effort highlights a shared commitment to combating transnational organized crime.
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