Former Ecuador footballer Christian ‘Diablito’ Lara detained again in Quito operation

Christian “Diablito” Lara, a former player for Ecuador’s national football team, was detained again during a large nighttime security operation in southern Quito. Police took him from a clandestine bar under Operation Pandora, led by the Interior Ministry and the National Police.

Authorities said Lara faced an active judicial warrant for failing to make periodic appearances before a judge. The requirement formed part of a criminal case opened on April 7, when he was arrested in the act and investigated as a suspected accomplice to robbery. Police also said a coercive warrant remained active in the system, despite Lara’s claim that he had complied with the court appearances.

Interior Minister John Reimberg said officers entered an unlicensed liquor store and clandestine bar, where they found the former footballer. He said Lara told officials he had appeared before the court, but the warrants remained active, so officers detained him and took him before the authorities.

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We entered a place where we found a liquor store, a clandestine bar, where a former football player was detained again on a warrant for failing to appear before the court.

Minutes later, Lara posted a video on social media saying he had attended a hearing and that “everything was cleared up.” The video indicated that he had been released again.

The wider operation brought together about 850 to 870 public officials, including members of the armed forces, police, migration authorities and Quito municipal control agencies. Inspections covered commercial and residential areas in La Michelena, La Magdalena and Atahualpa. Migration officials reported detaining 19 foreigners whose legal and immigration status was not regular in Ecuador.

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Everything was cleared up.