Ecuador’s most notorious drug kingpin has been extradited to the United States, a month after he was recaptured following a prison escape that sparked a wave of violence across the country.
Jose Adolfo Macias, better known as “Fito,” was transferred Sunday from a maximum-security prison in the port city of Guayaquil to the city’s airport, where he was handed over to US officials who arrived earlier to carry out the extradition process, according to Ecuadorian prison authorities.
A US Department of Justice plane arrived in Guayaquil around 12:45 p.m., local time, and departed with the gang leader after 2 p.m., according to the city’s aviation agency. State media outlet TC television reported the plane arrived at 12:30 p.m plane and departed at 2:12 p.m departure.
A photograph released by Ecuadorian prison authorities Sunday showed Macias wearing shorts, a t-shirt, a helmet, and a bulletproof vest as he was escorted by several heavily armed National Police agents.
Since at least 2020, Macias has led the powerful Los Choneros criminal organization, which the US has accused of shipping and distributing multiple tons of cocaine from Ecuador to other countries.
