QUITO, Ecuador — In a major development in the international fight against drug trafficking, Ecuador has extradited José Adolfo MacÃas Villamar, known as “Fito,” the notorious leader of the Los Choneros gang, to the United States. MacÃas is accused of overseeing a violent drug trafficking operation responsible for moving thousands of pounds of cocaine into the U.S., as well as orchestrating widespread criminal activity across Ecuador.
The extradition took place on Sunday under heavy security, with Ecuadorian authorities transferring MacÃas from the high-security La Roca Detention Center. The operation was carried out by the National Police and the Armed Forces, according to a statement from Ecuador’s prison agency, SNAI. Officials released a photograph showing MacÃas wearing a T-shirt, shorts, a bulletproof vest, and a military helmet, flanked by armed guards.
The extradition follows his recent recapture in late June after a dramatic prison escape earlier last year. MacÃas had been serving a 34-year sentence for drug trafficking, organized crime, and murder when he vanished from a prison in Guayaquil in January 2024. His escape sparked nationwide unrest and raised urgent questions about corruption and security failures within Ecuador’s penitentiary system.
In April 2025, U.S. prosecutors in New York indicted MacÃas on multiple charges, including conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States and running a criminal enterprise that relied on hired assassins, bribery, and access to military-grade weapons. The U.S. government issued a formal request for his extradition, assuring Ecuadorian authorities of full compliance with international human rights standards.
MacÃas is expected to appear before a federal court in Brooklyn, New York, where his lawyer, Alexei Schacht, has stated he will plead not guilty. Following his arraignment, MacÃas will be held in a federal detention facility, though the exact location has not been disclosed for security reasons.
The extradition of MacÃas marks a significant moment in U.S.-Ecuador relations and the global effort to dismantle transnational drug cartels. Ecuadorian authorities noted that this is the first time the country has extradited one of its own nationals directly to the United States. While two other Ecuadorian drug traffickers have previously been handed over to the U.S., those cases involved arrests made in Colombia.
MacÃas rose to prominence as the leader of Los Choneros, a criminal organization that originated in the 1990s and became one of Ecuador’s most feared gangs. Since 2020, under MacÃas’ leadership, the group expanded its operations through alliances with powerful Mexican cartels, including the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels. Together, these groups controlled key cocaine smuggling routes through Ecuador, shipping large quantities to the United States via Central America and the Caribbean.
The indictment filed in U.S. federal court outlines how MacÃas’ network acquired firearms and ammunition from the United States, smuggled them back into Ecuador, and used them to protect drug shipments and eliminate rivals. The gang has also been linked to attacks on police officers, judges, political figures, and civilians. Authorities describe Los Choneros as a paramilitary-style organization capable of operating with extreme violence and strategic coordination.
Beyond his criminal empire, MacÃas cultivated a public image that blurred the line between gangster and folk hero. In 2023, while still behind bars, he released a video message addressing “the Ecuadorian people,” appearing with armed men in the background and calling for an end to state corruption and political betrayal. Inside prison, he reportedly lived with near-total impunity, organizing parties, importing liquor, and even staging cockfighting matches.
His escape in January 2024 further embarrassed Ecuador’s government and triggered a military crackdown on organized crime. The manhunt for MacÃas intensified after several violent incidents were attributed to Los Choneros in the months that followed, including prison riots and assassinations.
Authorities eventually located and captured MacÃas on Ecuador’s central coast. The circumstances of his arrest have not been fully disclosed, but officials say intelligence operations and international cooperation were key to locating him.
The decision to extradite MacÃas reflects Ecuador’s increasing willingness to collaborate with the United States in addressing the escalating drug violence plaguing the country. In recent years, Ecuador has seen a dramatic rise in homicides, prison violence, and gang-related activity, much of it fueled by the narcotics trade.
For Washington, MacÃas’ extradition represents a critical step in efforts to dismantle the international supply chains that feed the U.S. drug market. American officials hope his prosecution will disrupt the broader operations of Los Choneros and serve as a deterrent to other cartel leaders in the region.
MacÃas now faces trial in the United States, where he could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. His extradition closes one chapter in Ecuador’s battle against organized crime—but the broader fight against narco-violence in Latin America continues.