You’ve probably heard of Fito, Ecuador’s most famous gang boss, who was recently extradited to the United States. But authorities just captured an Ecuadorian leader they claim is even more powerful, even if you’ve never heard of him. A joint operation between Ecuadorian and Spanish authorities led to the capture of the top Lobos leader, Wilmer Chavarría, alias “Pipo,” in the Spanish city of Málaga on November 16.
Ecuadorian officials say the Lobos have overtaken the Choneros as Ecuador’s most powerful criminal group, and Pipo’s capture is a significant hit to the gang, But his arrest will likely lead to more violence, as Pipo’s lieutenants and other high-ranking members vie for control of the organization. Conflicts between allies-turned-enemies have become standard as Ecuador enters a new phase in its war on gangs, defined by increasingly dispersed gang conflicts.
Transcript
Gavin: [00:00:00] You’ve probably heard of Fito, Ecuador’s most notorious criminal. But authorities have just captured another Ecuadorian leader who, they say, wields even greater power, and who had remained largely unnoticed until now. His name is Wilmer Chavarría, better known as Pipo, and he was recently arrested in Spain, from where he was allegedly directing Los Lobos, an organization the United States has designated as a terrorist group.
Gavin: [00:00:32] Pipo and Los Lobos are major players in drug trafficking, illegal mining, and extortion, and they have gained significant strength in Ecuador in recent years.
Gavin: [00:00:43] Their power reportedly grew after authorities arrested the leaders of rival groups, like Fito of Los Choneros in June and Willy of Los Tiburones last year. Those arrests triggered a record number of homicides, unleashing an internal war to replace those leaders following Pipo’s capture. A similar process is expected now, and it’s far from the first time this has happened in Latin America. Removing a leader often sparks periods of intense violence and the rise of new figures to take their place.
Gavin: [00:01:20] Meanwhile, the factors that turned Ecuador into an epicenter of crime — corruption, cocaine, and the lack of opportunities — still persist. If you want to learn more about Los Lobos and their impact in Ecuador, be sure to visit our website at InsightCrime.org.
