La Derecha Diario Alias Fito is already in the U.S. and will face seven federal charges
The extradition of the leader of Los Choneros was carried out under strict security measures
José Adolfo Macías, alias "Fito", was extradited in a highly secretive operation from Guayaquil to New York. The transfer took place 26 days after his recapture in a bunker in Montecristi. Judge José Suing, president of the National Court of Justice (CNJ), confirmed the procedure and described it as a judicial milestone.
The kingpin was taken out of La Roca prison and escorted by a police contingent to José Joaquín de Olmedo airport. There, he boarded a United States Department of Justice plane, which took him directly to the state of New York.
The image of the transfer was leaked on social media and was later confirmed by the National Comprehensive Care Service (SNAI), which released two official photos of the boarding.
Macías voluntarily accepted his extradition, which allowed the hearing and the corresponding decree by the Executive to be expedited. The United States sent the diplomatic guarantees required by international treaties: there will be no death penalty or cruel treatment, and he will only be tried for the crimes stipulated in the request.
These conditions were key for the Ecuadorian Government to authorize the process, in accordance with the human rights protocols to which it is a signatory.
His first judicial hearing in the United States is scheduled for Monday, July 21, and he will be represented by attorney Alexei Schacht, a renowned New York criminal lawyer.
Alias "Fito" will be prosecuted for seven serious crimes in Brooklyn, including:
Conspiracy for international cocaine trafficking
International trafficking of 1,100 kilograms (2,425 pounds) of cocaine
International trafficking of 800 kilograms (1,764 pounds) of cocaine
Use of firearms for drug trafficking offenses
Smuggling of goods into the United States
Purchase of weapons through front men
Each of these charges can carry sentences of up to 50 years in prison. Although in other cases they could imply life imprisonment, the U.S. offered guarantees that such a sentence will not be applied.
The extradition of alias "Fito" marks a historic turning point in the fight against organized crime in Ecuador. His prosecution on U.S. soil opens a chapter of unprecedented judicial cooperation and exposes the international dimension of Ecuadorian criminal gangs.
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