Powerful Ecuador drug lord 'Fito' extradited to US
Known as "Fito", he was recaptured in June, almost a year after he escaped from a high-security prison where he was serving a 34-year sentence for a series of crimes.
He will appear in a US federal court on Monday, where he will plead not guilty to international charges of drug and weapons trafficking, his lawyer told Reuters.
Macías was leader of Los Choneros gang, which is linked to powerful criminal organisations from Mexico and the Balkans. He is also suspected of having ordered the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023.
Los Choneros is blamed for Ecuador's transformation from a tourist haven to a country with one of the highest murder rates in the region.
More than 70% of all cocaine produced in the world currently passes through Ecuador's ports. The country is located between the world's two top cocaine exporters, Colombia and Peru.
In June, police tracked Macías down to what they described as an underground bunker below a luxury home in the city of Manta. He was taken to La Roca, a maximum security prison. At the time, Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa praised the security forces for capturing him and said that he would be extradited to the US.
The country's prison authority said he was taken out of prison in Ecuador earlier on Sunday to be handed over to US authorities.
"Mr Macías and I will appear tomorrow before the Brooklyn federal court ... where he will plead not guilty," his lawyer, Alexei Schacht, told Reuters. "After, he will be held in a to-be-determined prison."
Ecuadoreans voted in favor of allowing the extradition of citizens in a referendum called by President Noboa, who vowed to crack down on rising crime.
In March this year, Noboa told the BBC he wants US, European and Brazilian armies to join his "war" against criminal gangs.
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Things have gotten far more difficult lately for the Rosas family in Colorado. Husband, wife and three boys ages 3, 5 and 8 are living in a Denver apartment building where they have placed cameras up to capture what's going on around them. "Things were quiet here until about three weeks ago," said father Carlos Rosas. "That night there were a lot of bullets, and that wall is just drywall," said mother Genesis Rosas. The family left Venezuela in 2023. They have moved around a great deal since arriving in Colorado, trying to find a clean and safe place. They are applying for political asylum and with a work permit, Carlos is driving a Lyft vehicle for work. That means leaving his wife and children alone many nights. Lately at the Advenir at Cherry Creek North apartments where they live, they report hearing gunshots night after night. It reminds them of the Cedar Run apartments where they lived previously. Those apartments were the scene of raids in February. "Yeah, the same. They steal cars here. They use drugs here. There have been gunshots," said Carlos. Denver police were called to Advenir at Cherry Creek North on report of shots fired last weekend. The Rosas have video from cameras they have put up that captured what sounds like gunfire and images of people fleeing. Carlos came home and took out a bat, angered at the people who he says are up to no good. Police told him to put it down and he did he says. But he worries about crime and people who have shown up at the complex; some of them who do not live there. Carlos thinks they are Tren de Aragua gang members. "They need to be in jail because they're putting the lives of all of us who live here at risk," he said. In a statement, the property owner, Florida based Advenir, said: "We share the concerns of our residents regarding the incident that took place over the weekend and take these matters very seriously. Fortunately, nobody was injured in the incident. We are fully cooperating with the police department, which is investigating. Providing exceptional service and communicating with our residents is a priority for us, and we address concerns as soon as we are made aware of them." This week the Rosas said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents showed up. Video images of what happened are unclear. ICE would not share what may have happened at the complex. "ICE does not confirm or discuss the existence or status of ongoing or future operations. The agency publicly announces the results of operations when appropriate," said ICE spokesman Steve Kotecki in an email. Carlos Rosas said, even with a work permit they worried about agents' presence and locked themselves in the apartment. Carlos Rosas knows about law breakers. He says he worked as a military policeman in Venezuela. His father was a judge. His father stood up to the Nicolas Maduro Administration, which has repeatedly received international criticism for elections in which Maduro is accused of claiming false victories. "Maduro and his representatives have falsely claimed victory while repressing and intimidating the democratic opposition in an illegitimate attempt to cling to power by force," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement in 2024. Carlos' father was forced to flee the country and ended up in Florida. The younger family stayed, but soon Maduro supporters came for him instead says Carlos. Friends kept him safe, but on another occasion when he was gone, the couple says the beat Genesis. Pictures show her bruised and battered. The family fled, arriving first in Columbia where their youngest son was born. Later they moved on to seek refuge status in the United States. But as law abiding citizens fled, so too did criminals released from prisons by the Maduro Administration, says Carlos. 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On the ground level of the building, there's a board over a window by the door. The basement laundry room is a mess. Carlos says people get into the building and sleep there. Discolored water from an apparent plumbing leak drips through the ceiling into a garbage pail that is near full. Carlos says exterior door locks have only recently been fixed after being broken for a long time. "Broken locks are repaired as soon as parts are secured and maintenance is able to repair them," said Advenir in its emailed statement. There are plumbing leaks agreed Advenir, but said, "Leaks are repaired as soon as possible after reported." The Rosas are trying to find a way to move somewhere else, where it is safer. "We obviously don't want this to continue happening, and we want those people out. But unfortunately, the government isn't doing it right. The government is taking away those who are working with work permits, in jobs, in other words, those who are doing things right, while the criminals remain on the streets," said Carlos. His wife said he had already looked into trying to become a police officer, but it requires citizenship. He says he could help identify and arrest those Venezuelans who make it worse for others. The couple is having conversations about whether they should stay and continue to seek asylum. "We're torn between yes and no. With the current situation, it's risky for us to be here because we don't know if they'll come after us like they're doing now; they'll put us in jail, they'll take our children away. Sometimes we wonder if we'll be more comfortable leaving on our own, rather than them coming to arrest us," said Genesis Rosas.
