Ecuador’s most notorious drug lord Adolfo Macias, known by the alias ‘Fito’, has consented to be extradited to the United States to face serious charges, including cocaine and weapons smuggling. This significant announcement comes from a court in the capital, Quito, marking a pivotal moment in a tale rife with crime and violence.
Macias, who is the head of the ‘Los Choneros’ gang, was recaptured in June after escaping from a maximum-security prison 18 months earlier. His escape sparked a bloody wave of gang violence throughout Ecuador, demonstrating the far-reaching influence of organized crime in the country.
The drug kingpin has been sought by U.S. authorities on multiple charges related to cocaine distribution, conspiracy, and firearms-related crimes, including weapons smuggling. After his dramatic escape from prison in January 2024, there was a nationwide manhunt for him, which also saw authorities offering a $1 million reward for any information leading to his capture.
Quite remarkably, it was established that the fugitive was hiding out at a relative’s mansion in his hometown, eluding law enforcement efforts. In a well-coordinated operation, Ecuadorian security forces finally captured Macias last month in an underground bunker beneath a lavish property in Manta, a port city about 260 kilometers southwest of Quito.
Macias, formerly a taxi driver, has been serving a 34-year sentence since 2011 for crimes involving organized crime, drug trafficking, and murder. Once a relatively peaceful nation, Ecuador has become embroiled in violence related to drug-trafficking, with gangs like Los Choneros engaging in ruthless acts in response to Macias’s capture. These acts included car bombs, hostage-takings of prison guards, and assaults on a television station during a live broadcast.
Amid the crisis, President Daniel Noboa’s right-wing administration affirmed its commitment to the extradition process, stating, ‘We will gladly send him and let him answer to the North American law.’
During a court hearing held via videolink from the high-security prison in Guayaquil, Macias confirmed his acceptance of the extradition when asked by a judge. This makes him the first Ecuadorian to be extradited under the new legal framework, put in place following a referendum that aimed to bolster the government’s fight against organized crime.
Once a nation caught between Colombia and Peru, the world’s top cocaine producers, Ecuador has seen an alarming rise in violence from rival gangs linked to powerful Mexican and Colombian cartels striving for control over the lucrative drug market. Gang conflicts have frequently spilled into the prison system where Macias had significant power, having been hailed as the unofficial leader of Guayaquil’s prison equipped with funds, weapons, and even parties that included mariachi bands and celebratory displays.
Macias’s influence extended beyond organized crime, as he became a suspect in the assassination of anticorruption candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023. The violence from Los Choneros and similar groups escalated to unprecedented levels, prompting Noboa to declare a state of ‘internal armed conflict’ in Ecuador, deploying military forces to regain control.
Data reveals that over 70% of cocaine produced globally now transits through Ecuadorian ports. The country reported record drug seizures of 294 tonnes, primarily composed of cocaine, in 2024 alone, underlining the ongoing battle against drug trafficking in the region.
image source from：aljazeera
