The Ecuadorian police announced on Friday the arrest of Julio Alberto M. A., also known as “Negro Tulio,” who is the leader of the Chone gang. The arrest, which took place in Panama, implicates Julio Alberto in the murder of prosecutor Cesar Suarez in January 2024. Suarez was actively investigating organized transnational crime in Guayas province at the time of his assassination.
On June 1, Ecuadorian authorities confirmed through their official announcement that Julio M., alias “Negro Tulio,” had arrived in Guayaquil, Ecuador. His detention was facilitated by a coordinated effort between Panamanian authorities and Ecuador’s national police. Alongside Julio M., another individual, Alexandra E., was also detained. Both are believed to have ties to the terrorist group “Chone Killers.”
Prosecutor Suarez’s murder, which occurred through an assassination that took place in his car in Guayaquil, had initially led to the arrest of two suspects. The recent capture of “Negro Tulio” marks a significant development in the ongoing case. Ecuador is currently embroiled in an effort to combat drug cartels that utilize the country’s ports for narcotics shipments to the United States and Europe. The government has declared a state of emergency while deploying soldiers to prisons and the streets of Guayaquil, the nucleus of anti-gang endeavors. More information on this situation can be found in the full report.
The arrest also aligns with Ecuador’s broader crackdown on powerful criminal organizations like Los Lobos, whose leader Fabricio Colón Pico was also recently detained. These gangs have been behind a recent surge in violence, including the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicenio last year. In response to escalating crime, Ecuadorians have voted in a referendum to implement stricter security measures.
Ecuador’s strategic location, wedged between top cocaine producers Colombia and Peru, and its significant ports have made it a hotspot for transnational criminal networks. Various groups, including Colombian armed factions, Mexican cartels, and Albanian networks, are subcontracting local gangs for drug trafficking and money laundering. A detailed profile of Ecuador’s crime status is available here.