Los Lobos Sicario - La Muerte
Hermes Ponce, alias La Muerte, was arrested in a joint operation among Ecuadorian authorities in the early hours of Sunday, 20 September 2026 Screenshot from Twitter/Gian Carlo Loffredo @GianCarlLoffredo

An alleged sicario, or hitman, was arrested during a military intelligence operation on Sunday, 20 September 2026, in Naranjal, Guayas, Ecuador. Hermes Ponce, also known as 'La Muerte,' was reported to be an enforcer for Los Lobos, a splinter group formed in 2020 from Los Choneros, one of Ecuador's largest criminal organisations.

In a separate military operation, an alleged leader of Los Choneros, Miguel Ángel Quiñónez Camacho, alias Negro Félix, was also arrested in El Oro. He was arrested with four explosive charges, ammunition of various calibers and controlled substances. Camacho reportedly has criminal records for murder, robbery and drug-related offences.

'Jail or Hell' for La Muerte

'Today we captured a monster who kidnapped, beat his victims, and then made them dig their own graves... For these criminals: jail or hell,' said Minister of National Defence Gian Carlo Loffredo.

Ponce went by the alias 'La Muerte', which literally translates to 'the death' in English. Authorities found videos on his phone indicating that he would order victims to dig graves before killing them and burying them in that same hole.

'The dismemberer who forced his victims to dig their own graves and then murdered and dismembered them to bury them near banana plants was subdued and captured by the Security Bloc, through the Armed Forces, in coordination with the CNI and the Ecuadorian Army,' Loffredo announced Ponce's arrest on social media.

'The (intelligence) lead took them to Naranjal. This is Hermes Ponce, alias "La Muerte," of Venezuelan nationality, who would be linked to hit jobs, kidnappings, extortion, murders, and intimidation. Another alleged armed (wing) of "Los Lobos" CAPTURED,' Loffredo also said, along with the emojis of the Ecuadorian flag and a fist.

The operation was carried out by the Security Bloc, the Armed Forces, National Intelligence Center and the Ecuadorian Army.

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Ponce's Previous Arrest

Authorities located Ponce's hideout and raided the building. He was arrested and authorities took his phone.

According to reports, the phone contained recordings dated 10 August 2026 where Ponce cut off a man's head and limbs at a banana plantation. Another video reportedly showed Ponce ordering a man to dig his grave at a certain depth so it would not be unearthed by animals.

Los Lobos Sicario - Ecuador Gang
Another video in Ponce's phone shows a masked person with a baseball bat threatening kneeling figure, face also covered. Screenshot from Twitter/Gian Carlo Loffredo @GianCarlLoffredo

The material found on the phone was handed over to the relevant authorities as evidence. Loffredo, in his video about Ponce's arrest, urged Minister of Interior John Reimberg to let Ponce rot in Encuentro prison.

Reimberg replied: 'I'll send you a photo.' El Encuentro is a maximum-security mega-prison in Santa Elena Province on Ecuador's coast.

Ponce was previously arrested and jailed for drug trafficking charges in October 2025. He was arrested with a companion in Naranjal, following a raid on his property where 16 grams of cocaine were found along with several doses of substances also believed to be cocaine.

However, a judge ordered Ponce released in January 2026, when it was ruled that the prosecution failed to prove his guilt, noting he was not in the house during the raid.

Gang Culture in Ecuador

Ecuador has some of the deadliest gang violence in Latin America. According to the International Crisis Group, 2025 marked the deadliest year in the country's history, with over 9,000 people killed.

Los Choneros is among the most notorious gangs in Ecuador. It was reportedly formed in 2005 and is known for drug trafficking. In-fighting resulted in the formation of breakaway groups, including Los Lobos.

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