Brother of ‘Fito’, ex-leader of notorious Ecuadorian gang, shot dead

A 35-year-old identified as David Macías was executed on Sunday morning in the coastal city of Olón, after masked individuals wearing police uniforms entered the apartment he had rented in an affluent area and shot him dead.

According to official data, David Macías was one of the regional leaders of the criminal group Los Choneros, a powerful organization that until recently was led by his brother, Adolfo Macías, known by the alias ‘Fito’.

After the attack, the assailants fled quickly and so far there are no arrests in connection with the incident. Witnesses confirmed that the perpetrators were dressed as police officers when they carried out the attack in the coastal city apartment.

Currently, Adolfo ‘Fito’ Macías is in the United States awaiting trial, after being transferred from Ecuador last year. Los Choneros has been designated by the U.S. administration as a foreign terrorist organization and is blamed as one of the gangs that fueled the surge in murders in the country.

The elimination of David Macías is another heavy blow to this criminal group. Just a month ago, another family member, Javier Macías, was arrested in neighboring Colombia.

Regarding the victim, official sources stated that in 2018 he had admitted involvement in criminal plots. While serving his sentence, he is suspected of engaging in recruiting prisoners for Los Choneros and played a key role in the gang taking control of the prison.

Mutual killings among gang leaders have become a frequent phenomenon in Ecuador, driven by conflicts between rival groups and internal battles for control of territories and drug trafficking.