Ecuador Extradites Notorious Drug Lord Macías to US Federal Court

José Adolfo “Fito” Macías Villamar, the leader of Ecuador’s most violent gang Los Choneros, was extradited to the United States to face federal charges including cocaine distribution, conspiracy, and illegal firearms trafficking. Macías, who had escaped from an Ecuadorian prison in early 2024, was recaptured and extradited under Ecuador’s reinstated extradition policy as part of President Daniel Noboa's crackdown on organized crime. U.S. authorities describe him as a ruthless trafficker who operated a global cocaine network responsible for extensive violence and drug smuggling into the U.S. Prosecutors have requested that Macías be held without bail due to his history of prison escapes and his status as a flight risk. His lawyer stated that Macías plans to plead not guilty at his arraignment in Brooklyn Federal Court. Ecuadorian officials noted this extradition is the first under the new policy, emphasizing cooperation between Ecuador and the U.S. to combat transnational crime.