Ecuador's Most Notorious Kingpin 'Fito' Extradited to the U.S. After Months on the Run

Ecuador has extradited Adolfo "Fito" Macías to the United States, marking a significant development in the country's effort to combat organized crime.

Macías, leader of the Los Choneros criminal group, arrived in New York on Sunday night and was scheduled to appear in federal court in Brooklyn on Monday, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice reported by The Guardian. He faces multiple charges, including cocaine distribution, conspiracy, and weapons smuggling.

Macías, 45, was removed from a high-security prison in Ecuador earlier that day for the purpose of extradition. His attorney, Alexei Schacht, told reporters that Macías will plead not guilty, as The Guardian reports.

Macías is the first Ecuadorian national to be extradited under a new legal provision approved by referendum in 2023 as part of President Daniel Noboa's broader security reforms. Noboa, who has framed the fight against drug gangs as a war, had already anticipated the extradition upon Fito's arrest in late June in an interview with CNN:

"The moment the United States sends us the extradition request, we will gladly send him so he can answer to U.S. law. If it's today, then today. If it's tomorrow, then tomorrow. The sooner, the better"

Noboa also took to X back in June to reinforce a message of zero tolerance against organized crime, claiming that Fito's arrest was only the beginning and "more will fall." "We will reclaim the country. No truce:"

Macías' arrest followed a six-month nationwide manhunt after his escape from prison in Guayaquil in January 2024. Authorities found him hiding in a bunker beneath floor tiles in a luxury home in the port city of Manta, the stronghold of Los Choneros. His disappearance had triggered a 60-day state of emergency, widespread violence, and a government crackdown on criminal organizations.

Interior Minister John Reimberg confirmed Macías's capture was aided by surveillance of his security network, as The New York Times reported at the time. Video footage from the operation showed Macías handcuffed and escorted by security forces. According to U.S. prosecutors, he had continued to run Los Choneros from prison and maintained connections with Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, Colombia's Gulf Clan, and Balkan mafias.

Los Choneros has been linked to contract killings, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling. In 2024 alone, Ecuadorian authorities seized a record 294 tonnes of drugs, primarily cocaine. More than 70% of global cocaine flows through Ecuador's ports, according to official estimates.