Adolfo Macías Villamar, the powerful Ecuadorian gang leader known as “Fito,” has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to international drug and arms trafficking.
Macías, the infamous leader of the Los Choneros gang, is set to appear in a U.S. federal court today (Monday). He was serving a 34-year prison sentence in Ecuador for multiple crimes when he escaped from a maximum-security facility. After more than a year on the run, he was recaptured by authorities in June.
In addition to his trafficking charges, Macías is suspected of masterminding the assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023, a killing that drew global condemnation and increased pressure for his extradition.
Ecuador’s prison authority confirmed on Sunday that Macías had been transferred out of custody and formally handed over to U.S. officials for prosecution.
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