Ecuador's Most-Wanted Gang Leader 'Fito' Recaptured After Months-Long Manhunt
The leader of Ecuador's most prominent criminal gang is apprehended after escaping custody and sparking a wave of violence.
Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa announced on Wednesday that the country's most-wanted fugitive, Los Choneros gang leader 'Fito,' had been recaptured over a year after his escape from prison triggered a series of violent incidents.
Fito, whose real name is Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, was serving a 34-year sentence for organized crime, drug trafficking, and murder before he escaped custody in January 2024.
Following his escape, a surge of gang-related violence erupted, resulting in approximately 20 deaths over several days.
In response to the growing unrest, Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency across nearly a third of Ecuador's provinces.
Fito's whereabouts remained unknown until his capture on Wednesday during a 10-hour operation conducted by special military forces in Manta, a fishing port in western Ecuador.
According to reports, officers discovered Fito hiding in a bunker beneath the floor tiles of a luxury home.
The U.S. Embassy congratulated Ecuador for apprehending Fito and expressed support for the country's efforts to combat transnational crime.
Macias Villamar is accused of working with Mexico's Sinaloa cartel to control key drug trafficking routes between South America and the United States.
If convicted, he faces life in prison.
Fito, whose real name is Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, was serving a 34-year sentence for organized crime, drug trafficking, and murder before he escaped custody in January 2024.
Following his escape, a surge of gang-related violence erupted, resulting in approximately 20 deaths over several days.
In response to the growing unrest, Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency across nearly a third of Ecuador's provinces.
Fito's whereabouts remained unknown until his capture on Wednesday during a 10-hour operation conducted by special military forces in Manta, a fishing port in western Ecuador.
According to reports, officers discovered Fito hiding in a bunker beneath the floor tiles of a luxury home.
The U.S. Embassy congratulated Ecuador for apprehending Fito and expressed support for the country's efforts to combat transnational crime.
Macias Villamar is accused of working with Mexico's Sinaloa cartel to control key drug trafficking routes between South America and the United States.
If convicted, he faces life in prison.
