QUITO — Ecuador ordered on Saturday the transfer to a maximum-security prison of the leader of one of the main organized crime groups, Los Choneros, who was accused by presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio of threatening him before he was eventually killed. President Guillermo Lasso made the announcement on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, hours after it was reported that about 4,000 military and police personnel raided the regional prison in the port city of Guayaquil where José Adolfo Macías, alias «Fito,» was detained. Macías is considered the leader of Los Choneros, an organized crime group linked to the Mexican Sinaloa cartel. The president indicated that Fito was transferred to the La Roca prison «for the security of citizens and detainees. Ecuador will recover peace and security. If there are violent reactions, we will act with full force.» La Roca is a maximum-security prison that was previously closed following an escape and has since reopened. Image published by the Ecuadorian Armed Forces showing Adolfo Macías, alias Fito, leader of the criminal gang Los Choneros, being transferred to the maximum-security complex The Rock within Zonal Penitentiary No. 8 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Saturday, August 12, 2023. The prison authorities had previously stated in a press release that the operation aimed to locate weapons, ammunition, and explosives in the prison, without mentioning if the inspection was related to the investigation of Villavicencio’s murder. The National Service for Integral Care to Adult Persons Deprived of Liberty (SNAI) released images of the raid, showcasing several prisoners, but focusing on Fito. Villavicencio, who was shot dead on Wednesday after leaving a political rally, had previously stated that Fito had threatened him and his campaign team. On Friday, an Ecuadorian judge ordered pretrial detention for six Colombians suspected of Villavicencio’s murder, while family members and supporters bid their final farewell to the assassinated presidential candidate. This unprecedented event has deeply shaken Ecuador, occurring just over a week before the general elections and amidst a wave of violence affecting various parts of the South American country. So far, authorities have not revealed the possible motive for the murder or who may be behind it. Villavicencio was one of eight registered candidates for the presidential election on August 20. The 59-year-old politician was not among the favorites, with only 10% of the preferences, but he was a well-known figure for having exposed various cases of alleged government corruption and organized crime during the election campaign. According to authorities, Fito’s organization had control over the regional prison in Guayaquil. In the images released by the authorities, the criminal leader is seen in his underwear, with his hands on his head. He is later seen on the floor alongside other inmates. He is currently serving a 34-year sentence for drug trafficking, organized crime, and homicide. Following the latest massacre at the end of July in the neighboring Litoral prison, which according to authorities left 31 dead and 14 injured, Fito appeared in a video from his cell announcing a supposed peace agreement with other criminal groups and the police, which was officially denied. The regional prison in Guayaquil is located 270 kilometers southwest of Quito, within a prison complex. Currently, about 4,761 inmates are being held in this facility, which has a capacity for 4,505 detainees, according to prison authorities. A recent raid at the Litoral Penitentiary, also located within the same prison complex and considered one of the most dangerous in the Andean country, resulted in the seizure of weapons, ammunition, a fish pond, chicken and duck farms, and 15 dogs, according to authorities. Since 2021, Ecuadorian prisons have been the scene of bloody clashes between criminal gangs, which authorities attribute to power disputes and the control of national and international drug trafficking routes and micro-trafficking. This has led to a wave of violence and insecurity in the streets, especially in the coastal provinces of the country in recent years. Connect with Voice of America! Subscribe to our YouTube channels, WhatsApp, and newsletter. Activate notifications and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Fuente de TenemosNoticias.com: www.vozdeamerica.com
Publicado el: 2023-08-12 14:49:11
En la sección: América Latina – Voice of America