"Fito" faces US justice after violent crime spree and Jailbreak

Al Bawaba

12-07-2025

ALBAWABA - Adolfo 'Fito' Macias, the leader of Ecuador's notorious Los Choneros drug cartel, has formally agreed to be extradited to the United States to face multiple charges, including cocaine trafficking, weapons smuggling, and conspiracy.
Fito, who had been Ecuador's most wanted fugitive since his dramatic prison escape in 2024, appeared via video call before a Guayaquil court on Friday wearing an orange prison uniform. When asked by the judge if he consented to extradition, Macias replied, 'Yes, I accept the extradition.' The court confirmed the decision and will now await President Daniel Noboa's signature to finalize the process.
His extradition marks a significant moment, as it will be the first time Ecuador extradites a citizen under a new law passed after a 2023 referendum intended to strengthen the government's ability to combat organized crime.
Macias was recaptured in June 2025 in a joint military-police operation without gunfire. He had been hiding in a concealed bunker beneath a luxury residence in the fishing port city of Manta. His 2024 escape from a high-security prison in Guayaquil triggered a wave of violence across Ecuador, including car bombings, hostage situations involving prison guards, and the takeover of a live television broadcast by gang members.
Q #Fito acepté ser extraditado a los EEUU es parte de una NEGOCIACIÓN por su vida y la de su familia
📌 Solo así se entiende q acepte ser extraditado sabe q las Cárceles del País están en manos de sus "enemigos" y su vida y la de sus familias están en 🔽pic.twitter.com/nYx6x9dosM — Christian D. Troya Guevara (@Pipo1178) July 11, 2025
The U.S. has long sought Macias, accusing him of operating a vast cocaine distribution network and arming his criminal enterprise. He rose from a taxi driver to one of the most powerful figures in Ecuador's criminal underworld.
Following his escape, the Ecuadorian government offered a $1 million reward for information leading to his arrest, branding him as a top national security threat.
Now, with Macias preparing to stand trial in the U.S., Ecuadorian officials hope his extradition sends a clear message in their ongoing war against violent gangs and drug trafficking.