Leader of Ecuadorian 'Los Lobos' Cartel Arrested in Spain

In his country, he is accused of financing attacks from Spain to intimidate the President of Ecuador and hinder prison reforms. The Los Lobos cartel, temporarily allied with Chone Killers, is linked to several recent explosive attacks in Guayaquil, using car bombs and drones activated from prisons. «The criminal who faked his death, changed his identity and hid in Europe while ordering murders in Ecuador,» added Noboa. According to the President of Ecuador, «he controlled illegal mining operations and moved drug routes with the Jalisco New Generation cartel». The U.S. Treasury Department believed that together they sought «to promote violence and instability in Ecuador». Additionally, Los Lobos have been implicated in Ecuador for planning the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio on August 9, 2023, after a rally in Quito. The President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, announced this Sunday the detention in Málaga of Wilmer Chavarría Barré, alias 'Pipo', the leader of the Los Lobos cartel and one of the most wanted drug traffickers on the continent, at the end of a joint operation between the National Police of both countries. 'Pipo' also has a record dating back to 2004 for robbery, illicit association, drug trafficking, hired killings, terrorist attacks, and prison massacres. The President of Ecuador has applauded the «joint work» of the Ecuadorian and Spanish National Police as an example of cooperation. The commander of the Ecuadorian National Police, General Pablo Maldonado, recalled that 'Pipo' faked his death in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, changed his identity to Danilo Fernández, allegedly born in Maracaibo (Venezuela), and hid in Europe. «That is the difference when there is the will to fight for your country,» declared the Ecuadorian president, who described the drug trafficker as «the highest value target» for Ecuadorian authorities. He was considered the largest drug trafficking organization in Ecuador, in part due to its connections with the Mexican cartels Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) and Sinaloa. Ecuadorian intelligence presumes national and international links. «To combat transnational crime, international cooperation is a necessity,» stated the head of state. Between September 2024 and October 2025, at least four coordinated attacks were recorded from CRS La Roca under the alias Negro Tulio. The United States imposed sanctions on 'Pipo' and the Los Lobos cartel in 2024. Sources from the Ministry of the Interior have confirmed that he was arrested by agents of the National Police's Central Unit for Drugs and Organized Crime (Udyco) upon his arrival in Málaga from Morocco. «Today we have captured 'Pipo' Chavarría, the most wanted criminal in the region and the maximum leader of Los Lobos,» announced Noboa. The arrest was made for a document forgery crime. This detention is part of Operation Renacer, as the detainee had faked his death to evade justice and was directing the criminal network from Spain and the United Arab Emirates. «We were looking for him right in his own hell».