Ecuador extradites two individuals to the US implicated in the assassination of presidential candidate Villavicencio and a leader of Los Choneros
The government of Daniel Noboa extradited Daniel Salcedo and Ronald Herrera—who are linked to the investigation into the murder of Fernando Villavicencio—as well as Francisco Bermúdez, alias "Churrón," one of the leaders of Los Choneros, to the United States. With these extraditions, the total number of extraditions carried out under his administration now stands at nine.
Ecuadorian military personnel guard Regional Prison No. 8 in Guayaquil - File photo
The government of Ecuador extradited three citizens wanted by the courts to the United States on Thursday: businessman Daniel Salcedo and former police officer Ronald Herrera, both linked to the investigation into the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023, and Francisco Manuel Bermúdez, alias Churrón, identified as one of the ringleaders of Los Choneros.
President Daniel Noboa confirmed the extradition via his X account. "Daniel Salcedo, Ronald Herrera, and alias Churrón were extradited. With them, there are now nine who have been sent to face international justice," wrote the president, who has made judicial cooperation with Washington into one of the cornerstones of his security policy.
The Villavicencio case and those extradited
Fernando Villavicencio was shot and killed on August 9, 2023 as he was leaving a rally in Quito, eleven days before the first round of the election. The Ecuadorian has already secured convictions for the perpetrators of the crime, including members of Los Lobos, with sentences of up to 34 years and eight months in prison. However, the case against the alleged masterminds remains open.
Daniel Salcedo, who has received several convictions in Ecuador for corruption and organized crime, is being prosecuted as the alleged mastermind in the FV assassination. The United States has requested his extradition to the Southern District of New York Court on charges of conspiracy to import narcotics, possession of machine guns, and money laundering. Ronald Herrera, a former police officer and protected witness for the Prosecutor's Office in the Ecuadorian investigation, faces similar charges of drug trafficking and weapons offenses in the same judicial district. Both have agreed to the simplified extradition procedure.
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Alias "Churrón" and Los Choneros
The third person extradited, Francisco Manuel Bermúdez, alias Churron, was captured on July 3, 2026, in Guayaquil. Authorities identify him as one of the leaders of Los Choneros, a criminal organization involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and contract killings, and close to its top leader, José Adolfo Macías, alias Fito, who has already been extradited to the United States.
Bermúdez is being sought by the Eastern District of New York on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, international distribution of the drug, and the use of firearms to facilitate the trafficking. In 2025, the U.S. offered a reward of up to five million dollars for information leading to his capture.
Security context and bilateral cooperation
The extradition this Thursday is part of Noboa’s strategy to strengthen cooperation with Washington. The president has maintained that the fight against organized crime "does not end at our borders" and has pushed for the extradition of Ecuadorian citizens to foreign courts since extraditions were constitutionally authorized in 2024.
The three men remained in custody at the prison in El Encuentro, in the province of Santa Elena, before being transferred under heavy police guard and with the participation of agents from the DEA. Meanwhile, Salcedo and Herrera are serving their sentences in the United States on charges of drug trafficking and arms trafficking, in Ecuador the investigation into the mastermind behind the assassination of Villavicencio is ongoing.
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