In connection with the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2017, five members of one of Ecuador’s largest criminal organizations were sentenced to prison.
In August of last year, Mr. Villavicencio, a former journalist and member of the national legislature of the nation, was shot and killed while leaving a campaign rally in Quito, the capital.
For organizing the hit, Laura Castilla and Carlos Angulo—the purported head of the Los Lobos gang—were given sentences of 34 years and eight months in jail.
The Quito court sentenced two men and a woman to twelve years in prison for their roles in helping a hit squad carry out the attack.
Angulo, also referred to as “The Invisible,” is currently serving a 54-month sentence in Quito jail for weapons-related offenses. According to the prosecution, he ordered the hit from there.
He refuted the accusations, arguing that he was being used as a “scapegoat” for the crime.
Castilla was left to handle the hit’s logistics. She allegedly gave the men motorcycles, cash, and guns so they could carry out the hit.
Erick Ramirez, Victor Flores, and Alexandra Chimbo were accused of helping track Mr. Villavicencio. Over 70 people testified, including a witness who said the gang was offered over $200,000 to kill him. An anti-corruption activist, Mr. Villavicencio alleged links between organized crime and government officials. Despite death threats and security, he continued to campaign and was killed on 9 August in Quito.
Prosecutors said one man involved in the assassination was shot dead by police at the scene. Six Colombian nationals were later arrested but found murdered in El Litoral prison. The investigation into who hired Los Lobos for the hit continues. Mr. Villavicencio’s widow welcomed the ruling but said it was just the beginning of uncovering the full story. Crime in Ecuador has surged recently due to Colombian and Mexican drug cartels infiltrating local gangs. Los Lobos, led by Angulo, is linked to Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation cartel.
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