Ecuador extradites drug trafficker "Fito" to the US
The transfer took place almost a month after his recapture, when security forces found him in a bunker hidden under a luxury home in the port of Manta.
Drug trafficker Adolfo Macias, alias Fito.
Ecuador's government extradited Adolfo Macias Villamar, alias "Fito," considered the country's most powerful drug trafficker, on Sunday. He is the leader of the criminal organization Los Choneros, directly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and responsible for shipping large quantities of cocaine to the United States.
The transfer took place almost a month after his recapture on June 25, when security forces found him in a bunker hidden under a luxury home in the port of Manta. His escape, in early 2024, from a maximum security prison, provoked a serious crisis that led President Daniel Noboa to declare an "internal armed conflict," a measure that remains in force to this day.
The United States had already accused him
In April, U.S. prosecutors charged Macias with drug trafficking, arms trafficking and leading a transnational criminal network. According to the Department of Justice, his organization was instrumental in shipping cocaine from South America to Central America, Mexico and the United States.
U.S. Attorney John Durham of the Eastern District of New York described him as a "violent leader" and a "prolific" drug trafficker.
Macias voluntarily accepted his extradition last week during a virtual hearing before an Ecuadorian court. The National Court of Justice approved the request, and the Ecuadorian government formalized the process through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A historic case for Ecuador
Fito's escape generated a security crisis that shook the country. In response, Noboa declared an internal "armed conflict", which allowed the deployment of the military in prisons and on the streets. Although human rights organizations have questioned his policies, he has a high level of public support.
Ecuador is experiencing a wave of violence
Before his escape, Macias was serving a 34-year sentence for drug trafficking, murder and organized crime. His group, Los Choneros, operates mainly in port areas and controls key international drug trafficking routes.
In recent years, violence in Ecuador has increased worryingly. The homicide rate rose from 6 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018 to 38 in 2024, driven in large part by the expansion of criminal organizations like the one led by Macias.
With this extradition, the United States seeks to bring him to justice and send a strong message against international organized crime.
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