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Michele Sensi-Contugi

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Michele Sensi-Contugi
Sensi-Contugi in 2025
Born
Michele Sensi-Contugi Ycaza

(1982-08-12)12 August 1982
Desio, Italy
Died19 August 2026(2026-08-19) (aged 44)
Samburu County, Kenya
CitizenshipEcuador, Italy
EducationNova Southeastern University[1]
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2008)​

Michele Sensi-Contugi Ycaza[a] (12 August 1982 – 19 August 2026) was an Italian-Ecuadorian businessman and intelligence official. A friend and advisor to Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa, he contributed to Noboa's 2023 election campaign; upon Noboa's election to the presidency, he appointed Sensi-Contugi as the head of the country's national intelligence agency, made him Noboa's delegate to multiple corporations, including Petroecuador, and added him to the boards of the Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador, Corporación Nacional de Electricidad, and Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana. From April to August 2024, Sensi-Contugi worked as the Minister of Government [es]. He was also the vice president of the National Democratic Action party.

On 19 August 2026, Sensi-Contugi and his wife, Stephany Hollihan Vasconez, died in a helicopter crash in Kenya. In response, Noboa ordered three days of national mourning and a state funeral for Sensi-Contugi.

Education and career

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Daniel Noboa, Irene Vélez Torres, and Michele Sensi-Contugi speaking at Radio Sucre, in Guayaquil, in July 2024

Sensi-Contugi attended Nova Southeastern University in Florida, the United States, where he earned a master's in business administration.[1] His degrees were not registered with the SENESCYT agency in Ecuador.[2]

A private man, Sensi-Contugi worked in rubber and plastic-related businesses in Guayaquil and was a manager at Senco S.A.;[3][4] he also owned multiple companies.[3] He was a close friend and advisor of President Daniel Noboa; the National Electoral Council reported that he donated $25,000 to Noboa's 2023 election campaign.[5][6][3] After Noboa's election to the presidency, he appointed Sensi-Contugi as general director of the national intelligence agency (Centro de Inteligencia Estratégica, CIES), replacing Fausto Cobo [Wikidata].[7][8] Over the next several months, Noboa also appointed Sensi-Contugi as his delegate to the Astilleros Navales Ecuatorianos (Ecuadorian Naval Shipyards), Santa Bárbara, and Petroecuador, and made him a permanent representative on the boards of the Ecuadorian Electric Corporation [es], Corporación Nacional de Electricidad, and Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana.[5][9][10] In April, Noboa appointed him as the country's Minister of Government [es], succeeding Mónica Palencia.[9][10] The next month, he also became the vice president of the Noboa-associated National Democratic Action party.[11]

He left the Minister of Government position in August 2024 and was succeeded by Arturo Félix Wong [es].[9][10]

In February 2025, Sensi-Contugi was called before a private hearing before the National Assembly over allegations he and the intelligence agency had used the Pegasus spyware against opposition politicians, journalists, and activists.[3][12][13] The following June, Noboa eliminated the CIES and replaced it with a new intelligence agency, the Centro Nacional de Inteligencia (National Intelligence Center, CNI);[14] Sensi-Contugi remained director of the organization.[15] Former president Rafael Correa was critical of Sensi-Contugi's role in the Ecuadorean government, referring to him as "the evil mastermind behind Noboa's government" and accusing him of spying and organizing troll farms.[16]

Upon his death, he was succeeded as head of the CNI by Luis Carlos Ávila Chávez.[17]

Personal life and death

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Michele Sensi-Contugi Ycaza was born on 12 August 1982, in Desio, Italy, to a family historically from Volterra;[18] Sensi-Contugi's father was Italian and his mother was Ecuadorian.[10] He married Stephany Hollihan Vasconez, a fashion designer, on 23 May 2008;[10] the couple had two children who were both minors at the time of their parents' deaths.[19] His wife was the godmother of the youngest son of President Daniel Noboa and First Lady Lavinia Valbonesi of Ecuador.[3]

On 19 August 2026, a week after his 44th birthday, Sensi-Contugi, along with his wife, was killed in a helicopter crash on Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, Kenya.[8][20] They had been flying to the Ewaso Ng'iro river.[20] In response, Noboa declared three days of national mourning, ordered a state funeral,[21] and signed an executive decree giving the couples' two children police protection.[19] Noboa also curtailed his in-progress official tour of China, Singapore, and Vietnam, announcing he would return to Ecuador to attend Sensi-Contugi's funeral.[22]

Notes

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  1. ↑ In this name that follows Hispanic American naming customs, the first or paternal surname is Sensi-Contugi and the second or maternal family name is Ycaza.

References

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  1. 1 2 "Michele Sensi-Contugi, el ministro de Gobierno silencioso, imperceptible y multifacético". Primicias. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Daniel Noboa's security cabinet is taking shape but doubts persist about the profiles of its members". CE Noticias Financieras. 8 January 2024. ProQuest 2912195520.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Salazar, Andrea (20 August 2026). "Michele Sensi-Contugi, de amigo personal del presidente Noboa a director de Inteligencia". Diario El Mercurio (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Michele Sensi Contugi, Daniel Noboa's right-hand man who heads the Intelligence Center and is on the board of directors of three public companies". CE Noticias Financieras. 20 March 2024. ProQuest 2973052043.
  5. 1 2 "Michele Sensi Contugi suma más cargos: el presidente Daniel Noboa lo nombró su delegado en otras tres empresas públicas". El Universo (in Spanish). 16 April 2024. Archived from the original on 21 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  6. ↑ Sotomayor, Diana (20 August 2026). "El criticado mensaje de Rafael Correa por la muerte de Michele Sensi-Contugi". Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 21 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Businessman Michele Sensi-Contugi Ycaza, appointed as head of the Intelligence Center". CE Noticias Financieras. 4 January 2024. ProQuest 2910773697.
  8. 1 2 "Seven people, mostly foreign tourists, killed in helicopter crash in Kenya". Al Jazeera. AFP, Associated Press. 19 August 2026. Archived from the original on 20 August 2026. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 González, Mishell Sánchez (19 August 2026). "¿Quién era Michele Sensi-Contugi, jefe de Inteligencia de Ecuador fallecido en Kenia?". El Comercio (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 August 2026. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Rojas, Gisella (April 2024). "De contribuyente en campaña a ministro: Michele Sensi Contugi ocupa varios roles en el Gobierno". Ecuavisa.
  11. ↑ "Michele Sensi-Contugi, el empresario ecuatoriano que dirigió el Centro Nacional de Inteligencia y falleció en Kenia". Primicias. 19 August 2026. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Michele Sensi-Contugi será llamado al pleno para que explique uso de 'software' Pegasus, para espiar a políticos, periodistas y activistas". El Universo (in Spanish). 17 December 2024. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Pinchao, Juan (18 February 2025). "La sesión para conocer si el Gobierno tiene el software Pegasus fue declarada en reserva". Ecuavisa.
  14. ↑ "Daniel Noboa crea el Centro Nacional de Inteligencia y elimina el CIES que dejó Lenín Moreno –" (in Spanish). 15 July 2025. Archived from the original on 19 August 2026. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Michele Sensi-Contugi, director general del Centro Nacional ..." El Telegrafo. August 2026. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  16. ↑ Silva, Orlando (20 August 2026). "Rafael Correa y la polémica por su mensaje tras la muerte de Michele Sensi-Contugi". El Comercio (in Spanish). English translation at ProQuest 3377246242. Archived from the original on 21 August 2026. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  17. ↑ Solórzano, Cinthya Chanatasig. "Luis Ávila lidera el Centro Nacional de Inteligencia tras el fallecimiento de Michele Sensi Contugi". El Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 21 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Schianto in elicottero in Kenya, Michele Sensi Contugi morto con la moglie nel terribile incidente". La Nazione (in Italian). 19 August 2026. Archived from the original on 20 August 2026. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  19. 1 2 Solórzano, Cinthya Chanatasig. "Casa Militar brindará seguridad a los hijos de Michele Sensi Contugi tras su fallecimiento". El Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 21 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  20. 1 2 Bigg, Matthew Mpoke; Cabrera, José María León (19 August 2026). "5 Americans and Ecuadorean Official Are Killed in Helicopter Crash in Kenya Alongside Other Nationals, Including Americans". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Espinoza, Giannella (20 August 2026). "Noboa declara tres días de duelo nacional y dispone funeral de Estado por Michele Sensi-Contugi". Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 August 2026. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "Daniel Noboa adelanta su regreso a Ecuador tras la muerte de Michele Sensi-Contugi y esposa". El Universo (in Spanish). 21 August 2026. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
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