Alleged 'Gato Negro' Leader Captured in Colombia, Returned to Ecuador

Galo Javier Suárez Román, alias ‘Gato Negro,’ has been returned to Ecuador after his capture in Colombia on Friday, July 3, 2026. Suárez Román, identified as the second-in-command of the criminal organization Los Tiguerones, faces a future in the El Encuentro prison in Santa Elena province, following a period of opulent living in Colombia.

Ecuador's Minister of the Interior, John Reimberg, revealed that ‘Gato Negro’ led a "millionaire's life," residing in a house valued at $1.5 million and owning several high-end vehicles. He was reportedly protected by at least 11 individuals. After being placed on Ecuador's most-wanted list, Suárez Román fled to Colombia, where he obtained documentation to establish a new identity.

Authorities believe ‘Gato Negro’ assumed leadership of Los Tiguerones after the arrests of “Negro Willy” and “Ronco” in Spain. He was the sixth most-wanted individual in Ecuador and considered a high-value target. His criminal record includes charges for murder, evasion, and identity theft. Investigations also suggest his involvement in planning a terrorist attack against the Interior Minister, with Reimberg stating that ‘Gato Negro’ had also attempted to assassinate him.

Suárez Román had an existing arrest warrant issued on June 10, 2019, by the Guayaquil Criminal Guarantees Court. In 2017, he was sentenced to 26 years for a murder in Guayaquil but escaped from the Guayaquil No. 1 Social Rehabilitation Center in 2019. He remains under a pre-trial detention order for that escape. His capture was part of Operation 3D, a joint effort involving Ecuador's National Police, the U.S. Marshals, and Colombian authorities.

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Alias ‘Gato Negro’ also attempted to assassinate me in my capacity as Minister of the Interior.