Adolfo Macias Villamar, a notorious Ecuadorian gang leader, has been extradited to the United States to face drugs and arms trafficking charges.
He was the leader of the Los Choneros gang linked to powerful criminal organizations from Mexico and Balkans.
The criminal nicknamed “Fito” previously escaped from a high security prison while serving a 34-year sentence for a series of crimes. He was recaptured in June 2025.
In conversation with Reuters, the legal aide of Macias revealed that the accused will plead not guilty to international charges of drug and weapons trafficking.
Fito’s gang Los Choneros is considered responsible for turning Ecuador from a tourist destination to a place with the highest murder rates in the region.
The South American country is located between two largest exporters of cocaine - Peru and Colombia - almost 70% of all cocaine related transit passed through Ecuador.
The government started extraditing citizens after an overwhelming majority approved it in a national referendum called by President Noboa.
The president has vowed to crack down on crime and he even proposed a multilateral military alliance with US, Europe and Brazil to fight criminal gangs.