Why Ponce Enríquez is key to Los Lobos' illegal mining after ex-mayor's capture

The capture of former mayor Elías Baldor Bermeo Cabrera on July 28, 2026, has once again drawn attention to Camilo Ponce Enríquez. This canton in Azuay province is a hub for gold extraction zones, small-scale mining operations, artisanal labor, and processing plants for mineralized material.

Bermeo was arrested during a large-scale operation involving 10 raids in Camilo Ponce Enríquez and Machala. The operation, which included 284 police officers and 11 prosecutors, resulted in the apprehension of six individuals. The Prosecutor's Office is investigating alleged money laundering activities, with roots in illegal mining and explosives distribution.

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The arrest responded to a supposed 'political persecution'.

According to Interior Minister John Reimberg, Bermeo allegedly moved approximately $3.2 million between 2023 and 2025 through mining companies and is considered one of the main financiers of the Los Lobos criminal group. These claims are part of an ongoing investigation and must be substantiated in court. Prior to the authorities' press conference, Bermeo asserted that his arrest was politically motivated.

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the ex-mayor would have moved approximately 3.2 million dollars between 2023 and 2025 through mining companies and would be one of the main financiers of Los Lobos.

The government's hypothesis suggests that the criminal structure obtained resources through illegal mining and operations disguised as legal. Reimberg stated that Los Lobos members allegedly intimidated authorized concession holders to seize control of operations. Gold extracted illegally was then integrated into the activities of formally established companies. The Prosecutor's Office is also investigating the alleged export of gold without determining the existence of mining concessions or the legal origin of the mineral. Four companies were intervened during the operation.

During the raids, authorities seized over $245,000 in cash, vehicles, cell phones, computers, weapons, ammunition, jewelry, radios, and storage devices. They also found gold plates depicting Colombian drug trafficker Pablo Escobar. Camilo Ponce Enríquez holds the largest extraction capacity in the country, according to a Central Bank of Ecuador study, making it the primary mining site in Ecuador and second in processing capacity after the Zaruma-Portovelo district.

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members of Los Lobos allegedly intimidated holders of authorized concessions to take control of the operations.