Jacobo Bucaram Pulley and Manabí politicians detained on drug trafficking charges with Interpol red alert
Five Ecuadorian nationals were detained in Ecuador and Panama for alleged links to drug trafficking, including Jacobo Bucaram Pulley, son of former president Abdalá Bucaram.
Bucaram Pulley and the Estradas detained in regional anti-drug operation
Jacobo Bucaram Pulley, eldest son of former president Abdalá Bucaram Ortiz, was detained on 4 November 2026 in Guayaquil alongside four other Ecuadorian nationals, according to Interior Minister John Reimberg. The five suspects are subject to Interpol red notices and are wanted by United States authorities on alleged drug trafficking-related offences, reports primicias.ec.
Bucaram Pulley's detention was the first to be made public. At 16:12 on Wednesday, Reimberg posted a photograph on X of the detainee handcuffed and flanked by two police officers. The minister stated that Bucaram Pulley "has an Interpol red notice and is wanted by United States justice", and announced that he would be sent to that country "in accordance with the corresponding procedure". Bucaram Pulley had been sentenced two months earlier to nine years in prison for organised crime in the Covid-19 Tests case.
Approximately two hours later, Reimberg expanded the information and revealed the names of the five Ecuadorians involved, including the Manabí politicians Jaime Estrada Bonilla and his son Jaime Estrada Medranda, detained in Panama.
Coordinated operation between Ecuador, Panama, the DEA and Interpol
According to Minister Reimberg, the arrests were the result of a regional operation coordinated between Ecuador and Panama, with the participation of the National Police of Ecuador, the DEA, the United States Government and Interpol. The official indicated that the five detainees would face possible extradition proceedings to the United States in the coming days.
The authorities did not specify how the investigations developed or what the specific role of each detainee would have been within the alleged criminal structure. No further detail was provided regarding the Interpol red notices that weighed against the five suspects.
Profile of the Estradas: politics and sport in Manabí
Jaime Estrada Bonilla, 71 years old, is a well-known politician and sports leader in the province of Manabí. He served as Mayor of Manta from 2009 to 2014, and his candidacy had recently been qualified to participate in the sectional elections of November 2026 for that same position.
His son, Jaime Estrada Medranda, also had a career in public office: he served as assemblyman for Citizen Revolution during 2025 and 2026. In the 2026 sectional elections he was a candidate for the Prefectura of Manabí, although his candidacy was not qualified to participate in that contest.
Source: Google News EC — Crime