Overview
- Colombian and Ecuadorian authorities said they captured Ronald Javier Macías Villamar, known as Javi, in Colombia after a joint operation, the arrest was announced Wednesday.
- Officials say Javi is the brother and alleged successor of José Adolfo 'Fito' Macías Villamar and led efforts to expand Los Choneros' operations beyond Ecuador.
- Ecuadorian prosecutors say Javi faced an Interpol red notice and is accused of homicide, organized crime and laundering more than US$25 million; Ecuador said it will seek his extradition to face those charges.
- Authorities reported Javi had been living in Colombia under a false Colombian identity and that his arrest followed about 16 months of investigations into the group’s cross-border networks.
- The capture is presented by governments as a significant law-enforcement victory against a U.S.-designated terrorist-designated criminal group with alleged links to Mexican cartels and comes as Ecuador has declared a new state of exception to confront rising violence.