Ecuador’s elusive fugitive, Fito, apprehended after twelve months evading capture, discovered concealed beneath a kitchen counter | Global Headlines

Jose Adolfo Macias, also known as “Fito,” has been captured after more than a year of evasion following his escape from a high-security prison in Ecuador.

As the leader of the gang Los Choneros, Macias was found in his hometown of Manta after a lengthy operation.

Video footage from the Ecuadorian army shows a soldier pointing a gun at Macias, who was hiding under a kitchen counter. Macias is wanted for murder and organized crime and received a 34-year prison sentence in 2011.

The details of Macias’s escape are yet to be disclosed, and it was only noticed when a military squadron arrived to transfer him and discovered his cell empty.

A 60-day state of emergency was declared, with hooded gunmen bursting onto the set of a live television studio and announcing they had bombs.

Interpol swiftly issued an arrest warrant for Macias, who is expected to face International drug and gun charges in a New York court.

Macias is accused of distributing cocaine globally and smuggling firearms from the U.S. to Ecuador with the assistance of Mexican cartels.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa confirmed the country has already requested Macias’s extradition to the U.S. and vowed that more notorious gang members “will fall.”

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“Fito” had a cult following among the public and was known for hosting parties in prison with access to alcohol and roosters for cockfighting.

In 2023, he released a video message to the Ecuadorian people while incarcerated and was surrounded by armed men.

The US has labeled Los Choneros as one of the world’s most violent gangs, while Ecuador considers it a terrorist organization.

His capture comes weeks after the government announced an increase in the reward for his capture to $1 million (£729,000).