José Adolfo Macías Villamar, a fugitive cause trafficker known arsenic Fito and wanted by authorities successful Ecuador and the United States, was recaptured much than a twelvemonth aft helium escaped from situation successful the Andean nation, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa announced Wednesday.
Macías, who led a pack called "Los Choneros" successful Ecuador, was captured successful the Ecuadorian metropolis of Manta, his hometown, officials successful Ecuador said. In April, He was indicted successful New York City connected charges helium imported thousands of pounds of cocaine into the United States.
"More volition fall, we volition reclaim the country. No truce," Noboa said successful an X station announcing Macías' arrest. "We person done our portion to proceed with Fito's extradition to the United States, we are awaiting their response."
Interpol had issued an apprehension warrant for Macias aft his mysterious situation flight successful aboriginal 2024 from the Guayaquil Regional Prison, wherever helium was serving a 34-year condemnation for cause trafficking. Ecuadorian authorities person yet to explicate however helium escaped from 1 of the country's notoriously convulsive prisons. They lone learned of his flight erstwhile a subject contingent arrived to transportation him to different maximum-security situation but didn't find him successful his cell.
The Ecuadorian service confirmed Macias' recapture successful what appeared to beryllium the basement of a house. A video provided by the service showed the infinitesimal of the arrest, with a uniformed serviceman aiming a weapon astatine the caput of the cause trafficker, who gave his afloat name. The officers had recovered him hiding successful a tiny spread beneath what appeared to beryllium a room counter.
Wednesday's announcement of his apprehension comes successful the aforesaid week that Federico Gómez, alias "Fede," the person of different pack called Las Aguilas, was confirmed to person escaped from an Ecuadorian prison.
Last year, U.S. Attorney John Durham said successful a quality merchandise that Macias led Los Choneros and its "network of assassins and cause and limb traffickers" since astatine slightest 2020.
With an extended transgression grounds including charges of execution and organized crime, Macías has cultivated a cult presumption among chap pack members and the nationalist successful his location country.
While down bars successful 2023, helium released a video addressed to "the Ecuadorian people" portion flanked by equipped men. He besides threw parties successful prison, wherever helium had entree to everything from liquor to roosters for cockfighting matches. He besides had been moving Los Choneros from his jailhouse cell, authorities allege.
Macías' flight "triggered wide riots, bombings, kidnappings, the assassination of a salient prosecutor, and an equipped onslaught connected a TV web during a unrecorded broadcast," the U.S. Embassy and Consulate successful Ecuador said past year.
The Ecuadorian authorities and cause mafias besides declared warfare connected each other, and Noboa gave orders to "neutralize" transgression gangs after gunmen stormed and opened fire successful the TV workplace and bandits threatened random executions of civilians and information forces.
The seven-count indictment unsealed successful Brooklyn charges Macías and an unidentified co-defendant with planetary cocaine distribution, conspiracy and weapons counts, including smuggling firearms from the United States.
Los Choneros employed radical to bargain firearms, components and ammunition successful the United States and smuggle them into Ecuador, according to the indictment. Cocaine would travel into the United States with the assistance of Mexican cartels.
"Los Choneros operated a immense web liable for the shipment and organisation of multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America done Central America and Mexico to the United States and elsewhere," the indictment says.
Last year, the U.S. classified Los Choneros arsenic 1 of the astir convulsive gangs and affirmed its transportation to powerful Mexican cause cartels who endanger Ecuador and the surrounding region.
Authorities successful Ecuador person classified the pack arsenic a violent organization. Earlier this month, the Ecuadorian authorities announced the reward for the seizure of Macías would beryllium accrued to $1 million.
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