In a significant blow to Ecuador’s rising drug cartel violence, Adolfo Macías Villamar, known by his alias “Fito,” has been extradited to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and involvement in organised crime. Fito, who was recaptured in June after a year-long escape from a high-security Ecuadorian prison, will appear in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York on Monday to face the charges, where his lawyer has confirmed he will plead not guilty.
Fito, 44, had been serving a 34-year sentence in Ecuador for a series of serious criminal activities, including drug-related offences. However, in 2022, he managed to escape from prison, eluding capture until June 2025 when police tracked him down to an underground bunker in Manta, Ecuador. This event marked a crucial moment in Ecuador’s escalating battle against drug cartels, which have deeply impacted the country’s social and economic fabric.
The Los Choneros gang, which Fito led, is notorious for its violent reign over Ecuador’s underworld, with links to powerful drug syndicates in Mexico and the Balkans. This group is also suspected of being behind the assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023. Under Fito’s command, the gang expanded its operations, exacerbating Ecuador’s transformation from a tourist haven to one of the most dangerous countries in the region, now suffering from one of the highest murder rates in Latin America.
According to authorities, more than 70% of the world’s cocaine is smuggled through Ecuador’s ports, a direct consequence of its geographical location between Colombia and Peru, the world’s two largest cocaine producers. Ecuador has become a key transit point for drug trafficking, with violent gang warfare erupting as cartels battle for control of the lucrative trade routes.
On his recapture, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa commended the country’s security forces, praising their efforts in bringing Fito to justice. “We will continue our fight against organized crime,” Noboa said, emphasising that Macías’s extradition to the US marked an important milestone in the government’s crackdown on rising crime.
The extradition follows a public referendum in Ecuador earlier this year, where voters overwhelmingly supported the transfer of citizens accused of serious crimes to face trial abroad. This decision comes amidst a broader national security strategy announced by President Noboa, who has sought international support, including calls for military assistance from the US, European, and Brazilian forces to combat the pervasive influence of drug cartels in Ecuador.
In addition to drug trafficking charges, Fito is linked to multiple violent incidents across the country, further highlighting the devastating impact of organised crime on public safety. His extradition to the US will see him stand trial for his role in global drug smuggling operations, a significant step towards dismantling the international networks that have terrorised the country for years.
Macías’s legal counsel confirmed that he would be held in an undisclosed facility while awaiting his trial in the United States. As Fito’s extradition process unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the dangerous nexus between drug trafficking, violence, and state instability in Latin America.
This case underscores the broader implications of Ecuador’s ongoing war against gangs, with international cooperation now becoming an increasingly important factor in curbing the flow of illicit drugs across borders.
