José Adolfo Macias, leader of the criminal group Los Choneros from Euqador| Photo: Reproduction/Ecuador Armed Forces
Authorities in Ecuador are investigating the escape from prison of the leader of the criminal group Los Choneros, one of the main gangs involved in drug trafficking in the country.
The national commander of the Ecuadorian Police, General Cesar Zapata, stated during a press conference this Sunday (7) that the armed forces had confirmed the “disappearance” of one of the prisoners in the Guayaquil prison, without mentioning the name of the prisoner.
However, the prosecution later explained that it was José Adolfo Macias, the “most wanted man in the country,” leader of Los Choneros, also known as “Fito.” He was sentenced to 34 years in prison in 2011 for multiple crimes, including drug trafficking and murder.
After learning of the alleged escape, Ecuadorian police launched an operation to recapture the criminal. “We are grateful for the courage and commitment of the police forces who intervened in the prison in search of the most wanted prisoner in an operation that involved more than 3,000 people,” said presidential spokesman Roberto Izurieta.
In recent years, Ecuador has been marked by the increasing power of organizations fighting to control the drug trade in the country. This crime movement resulted in the country's streets, which had previously enjoyed some stability, becoming a battleground marked by violence, murder and the devastating influence of organized crime.
In 2017, Ecuador's murder rate was 5.6 per 100,000 residents, one of the lowest in Latin America. However, this rate has skyrocketed in recent years, reaching 25.5 murders per 100,000 residents in 2022.
Criminal groups such as Los Choneros and Los Lobos play a central role in this scenario. Los Choneros, linked to Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, was once the dominant faction in Ecuador. However, after the death of its leader Jorge Luis Zambrano in 2020, the group lost its hegemony in the country.
This paved the way for Los Lobos: there are more than 8,000 members spread across Ecuadorian cities and prisons. The group is involved in major prison massacres in Ecuador, drug trafficking and even illegal mining.
Currently, Los Lobos are competing with other factions such as Los Tiguerones, which emerged from Los Choneros, for control of prisons in Ecuador and the drug trade in the country. The criminal organization works with the Mexican cartel Jalisco Nova Geração (CJNG), which wants to control cocaine routes in the country and expand its influence in the region.
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