Overview
- Spanish and Ecuadorian authorities confirmed the joint operation that led to Wilmer ‘Pipo’ Chavarría’s capture in Málaga, with Spain’s National Police citing his arrival from Morocco and the case’s focus on falsified documents.
- Ecuadorian officials say Chavarría faked his death in 2021, adopted the alias Danilo Fernández, and underwent multiple facial surgeries while directing operations from Europe and the Middle East.
- Authorities portray him as the top figure of Los Lobos, tied to drug routes and illegal gold mining and allied with Mexico’s CJNG; the U.S. sanctioned him and the group in 2024.
- Ecuador’s government accuses Chavarría of responsibility for roughly 400 killings and links Los Lobos to high-impact crimes, including the planning of the 2023 assassination of candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
- Ecuadorian officials expect to pursue extradition following the arrest, which was announced on the day of a national security referendum and drew public praise from U.S. officials.