Daniel Salcedo to be extradited to US in Villavicencio murder case
Ecuador's Interior Minister confirmed the extradition of Daniel Salcedo, investigated in the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023.
Salcedo, investigated in Villavicencio's murder, to be sent to the United States
Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg confirmed on Tuesday that Daniel Salcedo — imprisoned for corruption and investigated in the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio — will be extradited to the United States, according to clarin.com.
Reimberg revealed in an interview with Elite Radio that the National Court of Justice has already notified two people within the extradition process, and that Salcedo is one of them. "That little angel has his problems in the United States and he will also be extradited there," the official declared, without specifying the reasons why Washington requires him.
The minister added that several detainees are now voluntarily requesting extradition to avoid remaining in the Cárcel del Encuentro, Ecuador's maximum-security prison where Salcedo is serving his sentence. "Perhaps, to speak positively, nowadays when they are told about extradition they raise their hand and want to be extradited, because they do not want to be in the Cárcel del Encuentro, which fills me with pride," Reimberg commented.
Salcedo's extradition is part of a process enabled following the referendum of 21 April 2024, in which Ecuadorians approved the possibility of extraditing nationals required by other countries. The first person extradited under this provision was, in July 2025, José Adolfo Macías, alias 'Fito', leader of Los Choneros, recaptured in an underground bunker in Manabí province.
In addition to Salcedo, the investigation into Villavicencio's murder includes among its suspects former Interior Minister José Serrano — deported from the United States last Friday and now also detained in the Cárcel del Encuentro — former assemblyman Ronny Aleaga, businessman Xavier Jordán, and three leaders of the Los Lobos gang, including Wilmer Chavarría, alias 'Pipo', currently detained in Spain.
Villavicencio was shot dead in August 2023 at the exit of a political event in Quito, eleven days before the first round of the extraordinary elections which were eventually won by president Daniel Noboa. Colombian hired killers carried out the attack. For this crime, five people were convicted as direct perpetrators; eight other implicated parties died before trial, including the seven Colombian hired killers.
Source: Google News EC — Crime