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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
| You’ve probably heard of Fito, Ecuador’s most famous gang boss. But authorities just captured an Ecuadorian leader they claim is even more powerful, even if you’ve never heard of him. |
| Wilmer Chavarría, also known as “Pipo,” was just arrested in Spain. From his refuge there, out of the reach of Ecuadorian authorities, Pipo led the Lobos, a US-designated foreign terrorist organization. |
| Pipo and the Lobos are major players in drug trafficking, illegal mining, and extortion. And they have gained strength in Ecuador in recent years. |
| Their power seems to have only grown since authorities captured the leaders of rival groups — Fito of the Choneros in June, and Willy of the Tiguerones last year. Those arrests produced record homicides because they detonated an internal war to replace those leaders. |
| After Pipo’s capture, we can expect a similar process. |
| This is a process that has been replicated time and time again in Latin America. Take one leader down, and after periods of intense violence, new leaders emerge in their place. |
| Meanwhile, the factors that make Ecuador a criminal hub — like corruption, cocaine, lack of opportunity — persist. |
| To find out more about the Lobos and Ecuador, visit www.insightcrime.org |