Colombian police announced on Sunday the capture of the wife and daughter of José Adolfo Macías Villamar, an Ecuadorian gang leader extradited to the United States last year on drug trafficking charges. The two women, wanted in Ecuador for money laundering, were arrested in Sabana de Torres, a small town in northeastern Colombia, during an operation supported by the FBI and Ecuadorian authorities. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella stated on X that Colombia will not serve as a safe haven for the finances of transnational criminal groups and expressed his intention to send the women to President Daniel Noboa of Ecuador to face justice.
Macías Villamar, also known as “Fito,” escaped from a prison in Guayaquil, Ecuador in January 2024, leading to a state of emergency declared by the Ecuadorian government, which was followed by violent prison riots and unrest in Guayaquil. He was recaptured last year and extradited to the United States, where he faces charges related to the importation of large quantities of cocaine. His gang, Los Choneros, was designated as a terrorist organization by the US State Department in 2023.
Ecuador continues to face challenges in controlling drug-related violence, with the homicide rate increasing fivefold since 2020. The country recorded its highest homicide rate in recent history last year, with 50 homicides per 100,000 residents, according to the Interior Ministry. President Noboa's approach to addressing drug trafficking has faced criticism from human rights organizations due to military abuses, including the reported killings of four children aged 11 to 15 in 2024. Despite these issues, Noboa was reelected for a four-year term last year amid growing public concern over crime.