Guayaquil's Mayor Sent to Prison in 'Caso Goleada' — City Erupts in Protest as Fire Rages Blocks Away

Ecuador's largest city is in political turmoil after its sitting mayor was arrested, jailed, and sent to a prison 300 kilometers away — all within 48 hours.

What Happened

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, February 10, the Fiscalía General (Attorney General's office) arrested Guayaquil Mayor Aquiles Alvarez and his brothers Antonio and Xavier as part of the investigation known as "Caso Goleada."

The charges: organized crime with money laundering and tax evasion purposes. Prosecutors allege the Alvarez brothers operated a complex corporate network that evaded state controls in fuel commercialization — essentially, a scheme involving fuel distribution contracts tied to public office.

The arrest happened after midnight, without press present. Critics immediately called the timing suspicious.

The Court Ruling

On Wednesday, February 11, Judge Jairo García at the North Judicial Complex in Quito ordered preventive detention (prisión preventiva) for Alvarez and most of the 11 defendants in the case. The Fiscalía formulated charges against all of them.

By the early morning of Thursday, February 12, Alvarez had been transferred to the Regional Cotopaxi Freedom Deprivation Center — the prison in Latacunga, a city in the central highlands roughly five hours from Guayaquil.

The mayor's legal team immediately filed an appeal.

The Protest

On the afternoon of Thursday, February 12, what the Guayaquil municipal government described as more than 50,000 people gathered in the streets to demand the mayor's release. Supporters called the detention politically motivated and characterized it as an attack on a democratically elected authority.

The march happened simultaneously with a massive fire at the Multicomercio building just eight blocks away at the intersection of Eloy Alfaro and Cuenca streets. Six surrounding intersections were shut down. Regional Governor José Arévalo publicly criticized the rally, calling it irresponsible to organize mass gatherings while emergency crews were battling an active blaze.

The Bigger Picture

Alvarez was already under investigation in a separate case known as "Caso Triple A" — in which he had been ordered to wear an electronic ankle bracelet as a precautionary measure. At the time of his arrest in Caso Goleada, he was not wearing the bracelet, raising additional legal questions.

A trial in the Triple A case has been scheduled for March 7, 2026, and is expected to last 15 days.

Alvarez has taken a leave of absence from the mayoral office. The city government says municipal services, public works, and planning continue uninterrupted.

What This Means for Expats

• Guayaquil stability: The arrest of a sitting mayor on organized crime charges — while dramatic — is part of a broader anti-corruption push in Ecuador. Whether you view it as justice or politics depends on whom you ask. What's clear is that Guayaquil's governance is disrupted
• Demonstrations: The U.S. Embassy issued a demonstration alert for downtown Guayaquil on February 10. If you live in or travel to Guayaquil, avoid large gatherings and monitor embassy alerts
• City services: The municipality says services continue normally, but with the mayor in prison and political tension high, expect bureaucratic slowdowns on anything requiring mayoral approval
• Property and investment: Guayaquil is Ecuador's economic engine. Political instability in city hall — combined with the Multicomercio fire raising questions about building code enforcement — adds uncertainty for anyone with property or business interests in the city

Sources: Primicias, El Universo, Infobae, El Mercurio