A former mayor in Ecuador has been arrested in a large police operation, as the government of President Daniel Noboa presents the arrest as a blow against one of the country’s most violent criminal groups. Authorities say he is the main financier of “Los Lobos,” an organization linked to drug trafficking and illegal activity in the mining sector.
Who was arrested
The man arrested is Elias Baldor Bermeo, also known by the nickname “BB,” the former mayor of Camilo Ponce Enrique. According to Interior Minister John Ryberg, he is considered the main financier of the criminal organization “Los Lobos.”
In the official version, Bermeo is presented as a key figure in the financial support of a network that for years has been accused of involvement in drug trafficking and illegal mining.
The operation in Azuay and El Oro
The arrest was carried out during an operation spanning the provinces of Azuay and El Oro. According to authorities, a total of six people were arrested, including Bermeo’s relatives.
During the search, police said they also found gold bars bearing a photograph of Pablo Escobar, a detail that authorities have used to underscore the profile of the network under investigation.
What authorities claim
Minister Ryberg said the former mayor is also suspected of organizing illegal mining operations and attacks using explosive devices. At this stage, these remain the authorities’ allegations.
According to the same official version, between 2023 and 2025 Bermeo moved around $3.2 million through mining companies. No further public details have been provided so far about the evidence presented.
Noboa government steps up pressure on gangs
The arrest comes at a time when Daniel Noboa’s government, with the support of the United States, is intensifying operations against criminal gangs and drug cartels.
Along the same lines, authorities are also targeting illegal mining activity, a sector that, according to the government, has generated millions of dollars for criminal groups.
Bermeo’s case once again puts at the center the link between local power, the informal economy and organized crime in Ecuador.
Beyond the government’s triumphant statements, the real weight of the operation will be measured by the evidence that emerges during the proceedings and by the institutions’ ability to take the case beyond police spectacle.