El Gerente, accused of masterminding a fatal ambush, was arrested by UAE authorities, marking a major breakthrough in the investigation into the violent attack and those responsible for the crime.
El Gerente Identified as Alleged Brains Behind Fatal Ambush, Arrested by UAE Authorities
For much of the past year, Roberto Carlos Álvarez Vera was known mainly through intelligence reports and legal documents, with scant public information about his background. To Ecuadorian officials, however, he represented a key target: a wanted fugitive known as “El Gerente,” accused of heading a transnational criminal organization linked to rising violence along the Ecuador–Colombia border.
Álvarez Vera was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice requested by Ecuador, prompting an international manhunt that has now concluded in the United Arab Emirates. UAE authorities confirmed his arrest this week and said extradition procedures are under way to send him back to Ecuador, following judicial cooperation between the two countries.
According to Ecuador’s security services, Álvarez Vera is accused of forming and leading Comandos de la Frontera, a group that emerged from dissident elements of Colombia’s former FARC guerrillas after the movement was dismantled. Investigators say the organization later developed into a cartel-style network operating in the border region, allegedly involved in drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, illegal mining, and money laundering.
High-Value Target
Officials have labeled Álvarez Vera a “high-value target,” accusing him of playing a central role in organizing and commanding violent actions that unsettled isolated jungle areas vital to drug trafficking corridors.
Even with the seriousness of the accusations, public information about his personal history remains scarce. Authorities have not disclosed his age or early life. Investigators say, however, that he was connected to a web of shell companies and financial arrangements allegedly used to funnel and conceal illicit profits, according to reports cited by Insider18.
Ecuadorian prosecutors have also brought charges against close family members, including his wife and sons, alleging their involvement in money-laundering activities linked to the criminal network’s operations.
Deadly ambush
The most serious accusation against the man known as “El Gerente” relates to a brutal attack that deeply shook Ecuador earlier this year.
On May 9, an Ecuadorian army unit carrying out operations against illegal mining activities was ambushed in the isolated Alto Punino region of Orellana province. The assault resulted in the deaths of 11 soldiers, making it one of the most lethal attacks ever carried out against the country’s military forces, according to authorities.
Prosecutors in Ecuador claim that Alvarez Vera was responsible for organising and authorising the ambush, allegedly to safeguard criminal operations linked to drug trafficking and illegal mining in the Amazon.
In addition to this case, Alvarez Vera is under investigation for several other serious offences, including organised crime, drug and weapons trafficking, and money laundering, officials have said.
On December 29, President Daniel Noboa announced that Alvarez Vera’s provisional release on bail had been cancelled and that he would be sent back to Ecuador to stand trial. Writing on his official X account, Noboa described Alvarez Vera as a priority target and said he would be held accountable for the deaths of the 11 soldiers in Alto Punino. The president praised the work of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Centre, the National Police, and cooperation with authorities in the UAE.
According to the Emirates News Agency (Wam), both the UAE and Ecuador stated that the case highlights their mutual determination to uphold the rule of law and fight transnational organised crime, including drug trafficking networks. The two governments also stressed the value of strong communication between their central authorities to enhance judicial collaboration and strengthen bilateral ties.
