Ecuador has recaptured its most-wanted fugitive, Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, known as Fito, the leader of the Los Choneros gang, over a year after his escape from prison.

• Fito was charged with seven counts related to cocaine distribution and firearms.
• His escape in early 2024 led to a surge of gang violence, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare a 60-day state of emergency.
• He was captured during a 10-hour operation in Manta, where he was found hiding in a bunker beneath a luxury home.