Angel Aguilar, an alleged member of the Los Lobos drug gang, was arrested at Bogotá airport and charged with membership in the gang and an "alleged role as the mastermind" in the August 9, 2023 assassination of Ecuadorian politician Fernando Villavicencio. Villavicencio was shot while leaving a campaign event in Quito; subsequent investigations have led to multiple convictions and ongoing trials. The arrest comes amid rising diplomatic tensions between Colombia and Ecuador and was praised by President Gustavo Petro as evidence of trilateral cooperation.
Colombia Arrests Alleged Mastermind in 2023 Killing of Ecuadorian Politician
Angel Aguilar, second from left, after his arrest by Colombia immigration officials (Handout)(Handout/Colombian Migration Office/AFP)
Colombian immigration authorities have detained Angel Aguilar, an alleged Ecuadorian drug trafficker accused of ordering the August 9, 2023 assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, a prominent anti-corruption candidate who was campaigning ahead of Ecuador's presidential election.
Arrest and Charges
Officials say Aguilar was arrested at Bogotá's El Dorado airport after arriving from Mexico. Colombian authorities charged him with membership in Los Lobos — described by prosecutors as Ecuador's largest drug-trafficking gang — and with the "alleged role as the mastermind" behind Villavicencio's killing. Photographs released by authorities show Aguilar in handcuffs.
Background of the Killing
Villavicencio, a former journalist turned anti-graft campaigner who was polling strongly before the election, was shot by gunmen riding motorcycles as he left a campaign event at a school in Quito on August 9, 2023. His shooter was later killed by the candidate's bodyguards at the scene. Police detained six Colombians allegedly linked to the attack; those detainees were later reported to have died while in custody.
Legal Fallout and Ongoing Trials
In July 2024, Ecuador sentenced five suspects to prison terms of up to 34 years for their involvement in the killing. About a dozen additional suspects remain on trial over the assassination, which dramatically shook Ecuador's political landscape during an election ultimately won by Daniel Noboa, who ran on a pledge to confront drug trafficking.
Aguilar's Past Conviction and Parole
Colombian authorities say Aguilar received a 20-year prison sentence in 2013 for murder. After serving roughly half that term, he was reportedly granted parole in 2022 — a benefit prosecutors allege he exploited to commit further crimes, including offenses abroad.
Organized Crime and Regional Tensions
Authorities blame Aguilar's Los Lobos group for a range of crimes including drug trafficking, illegal mining, extortion and murder. The arrest arrives amid escalating diplomatic and trade tensions between Colombia and Ecuador after Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly accused Ecuadorian authorities of involvement in a bombing on Colombian soil. President Petro hailed the arrest on X, calling Aguilar "one of the world's most notorious murderers" and saying the operation "confirms the efficacy of trilateral cooperation between Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico."
Note: Investigations and trials related to the Villavicencio killing are ongoing. Authorities in Colombia and Ecuador continue to coordinate with regional partners on cross-border criminal networks.
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