Spain authorizes extradition of ‘Los Lobos’ leader to Ecuador

Spain's Audiencia Nacional has authorized the extradition of Wilmer Chavarría, known as ‘Pipo’, to Ecuador. Chavarría is identified as a leader of the criminal organization ‘Los Lobos’.

The decision follows the rejection of an extradition request from the United States, which sought him for alleged involvement in a narcotics operation involving cocaine sent to California. Instead, the Spanish court ruled that Chavarría must return to Ecuador to complete a 16-year prison sentence. This sentence stems from a 2010 bank robbery and subsequent police chase that resulted in three deaths.

Chavarría was arrested in Málaga, Spain, in November 2025. Investigations revealed he had entered Spain in 2022 using a false identity after faking his own death in Ecuador. To evade identification, he reportedly underwent seven facial surgeries to alter his appearance. His name has also been linked to investigations regarding the 2023 assassination of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.