The ambush. possible collusions. The external links. Drug. The mobilization of the army because the police are insufficient. We are not talking about the dark side of Mexico but of Ecuador marching towards the vote.
The killing of candidate Fernando Villavicencio is the symbol of the “perfect” storm, driven by nasty and sometimes disguised winds. An attack that took place in a deteriorated context where local criminals collaborate with large international networks. An alliance that has transformed the country from a transit point to a starting point for coca, hidden in containers full of bananas bound for Europe, on narco-subs en route to Central America, in suitcases on jets. Approximate calculations believe that about 800 tons leave each year. But they are unverifiable numbers, like the Mexican ones. Homicides rose from 1,088 in 2019 to 4,761 last year, while more than 400 inmates lost their lives due to prison feuds.
The victim, Villavicencio, had launched his campaign against the corrupt and had revealed, just a month ago, that he had received direct threats from the Sinaloa cartel, the one managed by the sons of El Chapo Guzman in competition with other bosses. The organization has been operating in Ecuador since the early 2000s, with its men and through an operational pact with the Cochoneros. However, this faction has had several internal problems and one of its historical leaders, Junior Roldan, was killed in Colombia in May. He led the wing known as Los Aguilas while the rest of the gang, the Los Fatales, respond to the orders of José Adolfo Villamar, known as Fito, a famous long-detained bandit who allegedly put the political exponent shot dead on his death list. Quito.
To confuse the leads – another similarity with the Mexican slaughterhouse – a video of Los Lobos has appeared: a phalanx of masked men has assumed responsibility for the attack. However, a propaganda outing denied by the “official” leaders. It is a usual weave, a jungle to hide, perhaps a misdirection to muddy already muddy waters. Los Lobos represent a black ganglion that moves together with the Jalisco cartel, the rival of Sinaloa and, according to experts, is on the rise. The Tiguorones and the Chones also move in the same orbit. Frequent battles that perhaps could know a break. Fito, a few days ago, communicated from prison the signing of a truce with Los Lobos. Detail: the godfather, during his detention, became a lawyer.
However, these are not the only protagonists. Here exponents of the foreign underworld act, including some Albanian clans, at the center of a tough struggle. This too is a consequence of Ecuador’s strategic role in powder exports. A white thread that inevitably leads to Colombia, the great producer, where the Ecuadorian magistrate Marcelo Pecci was assassinated a year ago, shot on the beach during his honeymoon.
The lightning investigations into Villavicencio’s death – again in Mexican style, when they want to offer the culprits – led to the capture of the commando made up of alleged Colombians and the killing of the killer. Known personalities, who had been arrested and released. Are they the real culprits? Did the order come from Sinaloa? There is a lot of “fog” around the ambush. The exponent was not in an armored car and the escort was taken by surprise despite the existence of continuous warnings. We will see developments, we will see if the American FBI will enter seriously into the investigation given that the government has asked for Washington’s assistance. We need an important help but also an independent eye, safe from infiltrations.
The drama of Villavicencio recalls the end of Luis Donaldo Colosio. He aspired to become president, he had gone against the dinosaurs of the PRI party, he waved a “clean hands” message and they stopped him. It was March 23, 1994. In Tijuana, Mexico.