Ecuador’s ‘Pipo’ captured in Spain

Lead: On Nov. 16, 2025, Spanish police arrested Wilmer Chavarria, known as “Pipo,” in Malaga after a joint operation with Ecuadorian authorities. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa identified Chavarria as the leader of Los Lobos, a syndicate the U.S. has labeled the country’s largest drug-trafficking organization and recently designated as a terrorist group. Officials say Chavarria faked his death in 2021, assumed a new identity and continued to direct drug shipments, contract killings and extortion from Spain. The arrest removes a central figure linked to high-profile assassinations and organized violence in Ecuador.

Key Takeaways

• Wilmer Chavarria (alias “Pipo”) was arrested in Malaga, Spain, on Nov. 16, 2025, in a joint operation involving Spanish police and Ecuadorian authorities.
• Chavarria is believed to lead Los Lobos, which U.S. officials estimate includes roughly 8,000 fighters and was declared a terrorist organization by the United States in 2024.
• Ecuador’s president says Chavarria faked his death in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, obtained a new identity and coordinated operations from Spain.
• Los Lobos has been tied to the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio and to violence targeting officials, journalists and prison systems.
• The arrest follows other major moves this year: the capture of Carlos D. (“El Chino”) in Portoviejo and the June 2025 recapture and July 2025 extradition of Los Choneros leader Adolfo Macías.
• The arrest occurs as Ecuadorians vote on a four-part referendum that would allow foreign countries to operate military bases inside Ecuador to aid anti-drug efforts.
• Spanish National Police imagery released online shows Chavarria in a black-and-green tracksuit being escorted to a patrol car.

Background

Ecuador, a nation of about 18 million people, shifted from relative peace in the early 2010s to rising criminal violence as it became a key transit corridor for cocaine moving north from Colombia and Peru. Organized groups have vied for control over coastal ports and border routes, turning some cities into battlegrounds. The growth of transnational cartel networks and local splinters has intensified clashes with state institutions and between rival syndicates.

Los Lobos emerged in the early 2020s as a powerful faction tied to the larger Los Choneros network; U.S. officials describe Los Lobos as a highly armed organization that moved from hit squads into broader criminal enterprise, including drug trafficking and illegal mining. The group has been accused of targeted political violence, including involvement in the 2023 killing of opposition presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, and in orchestrating deadly prison riots.

Main Event

Spanish National Police announced the arrest of Wilmer Chavarria on Nov. 16, 2025, in Malaga after intelligence sharing and coordination with Ecuadorian authorities. Publicly released photos show Chavarria wearing a black-and-green tracksuit as officers escorted him toward a police vehicle. Ecuadorian officials say the operation followed months of cross-border investigation into his whereabouts and activities.

President Daniel Noboa said Chavarria faked his death in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, adopted a new identity and relocated to Spain, from which he allegedly continued to direct drug shipments, order killings and extract extortion payments from illegal gold operations in Ecuador. Prosecutors in Quito are expected to seek his extradition once Spanish courts process initial detention proceedings.

The capture follows other high-profile arrests this year. Authorities detained Carlos D., known as “El Chino” and described as No. 2 in Los Lobos, at his home in Portoviejo earlier in 2025. In June 2025, Ecuadorian forces recaptured Adolfo Macías, the leader of Los Choneros, after his 2024 escape from a maximum-security prison; Macías was extradited to the United States in July 2025 to face drug and weapons charges.

Analysis & Implications

Operationally, the arrest of a top leader abroad signals improved intelligence cooperation between Ecuador and European partners, and it may disrupt some logistics and command channels for a time. Removing a public-facing boss can create short-term fragmentation inside a criminal network, but history in the region shows such vacancies often spur violent contests for succession unless accompanied by sustained law-enforcement pressure.

Politically, the timing matters: the capture coincides with a national referendum that would permit foreign countries to establish military bases in Ecuador. President Noboa has argued that expanded foreign cooperation is necessary to dismantle transnational drug operations; opponents warn that basing agreements carry sovereignty and human-rights risks. The arrest will likely be used by proponents to argue for closer international security ties.

Economically, Los Lobos’ reported involvement in illegal gold mining and extortion connects drug revenues to extractive sectors, complicating enforcement. Even with top leaders detained or extradited, gangs that have diversified income streams can persist, requiring integrated strategies targeting finance, corruption and local recruitment networks rather than arrests alone.

Comparison & Data

The brief timeline shows a cascade of high-profile moves over recent years: leadership contests, prison breaks and a series of arrests and extraditions that reflect intensified regional law-enforcement operations. Analysts caution that statistics on gang size—such as the U.S. estimate of about 8,000 fighters for Los Lobos—are approximate and can vary by source and methodology.

Reactions & Quotes

Officials and analysts reacted quickly after Spanish authorities released images of the arrest and Ecuadorian leaders framed it as a major victory in a long-running security push.

“This arrest is the result of international coordination and will bring those responsible for violence to justice,”

President Daniel Noboa (statement)

President Noboa used the announcement to reiterate his argument that deeper foreign cooperation is necessary to counter transnational gangs, linking the capture to his campaign for constitutional changes allowing foreign bases. He also described Chavarria’s alleged ring of operations run from abroad, citing intelligence shared with Spanish counterparts.

“We located and detained one of Ecuador’s most wanted men in Malaga; international policing works when partners share information,”

Spanish National Police (official post)

The Spanish National Police emphasized cross-border intelligence in statements and imagery released on social platforms. Analysts cautioned that operational success must be followed by judicial coordination to secure extradition and convictions that withstand legal scrutiny.

Unconfirmed

• The precise size and organizational structure of Los Lobos (the often-cited figure of ~8,000 fighters is an official estimate and may vary by source).
• The full extent and operational depth of direct control exercised by Chavarria from Spain versus delegation to on-the-ground lieutenants remains subject to ongoing investigation.
• Specifics of alleged operational ties between Los Lobos and Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel are still under probe and have not been independently corroborated in open court records.

Bottom Line

The arrest of Wilmer “Pipo” Chavarria in Malaga is a tangible win for multinational policing and removes a symbolic figurehead of a violent Ecuadorian syndicate. It underscores the benefits of cross-border intelligence-sharing but does not by itself eliminate the networks, revenue streams and local conditions that sustain organized crime.

For Ecuador, the capture will shape political debate around the referendum on foreign military access and could bolster efforts to seek international assistance. Long-term reduction in violence will likely require consistent follow-through: successful prosecutions, financial disruption of illicit revenue, prison security reforms and programs to reduce recruitment into armed gangs.

Sources

• CBS News (news report)
• Spain National Police (official police communications)
• Presidency of Ecuador (official statements)