Guayaquil, Ecuador — Aquiles Álvarez, the mayor of Guayaquil, was arrested on Tuesday as part of an investigation into alleged organized crime, money laundering, and tax fraud. The General Prosecutor's Office reported the detention. According to the Ministry of Public Security, the official was arrested in the early morning hours during a joint operation with the National Police in the coastal province of Guayas, whose capital is Guayaquil. Noticias Argentino agency learned that the operation is part of a case called 'Goleada', within which arrest warrants were issued for the purpose of charging a total of 11 investigated individuals. Among those detained are Antonio and Xavier Álvarez, the mayor's brothers. The Prosecutor's Office also published images of the mayor of Guayaquil's detention, as well as other evidence seized during the operation, including cell phones and cash. In this way, the operation is still ongoing, so it is expected that in the coming hours, official information will be expanded on the progress of the judicial process. Local media reported that Álvarez was initially transferred to the Guayaquil Model Barracks and later taken to Quito, the country's capital, where the corresponding hearing is scheduled to take place.
