STORY: Ecuadorean gang leader Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, known as "Fito," has been taken out of prison ahead of his pending extradition to the United States, the South American nation's penitentiary system said in a statement on Sunday (July 20).

Macias, the leader of the Los Choneros gang, was shown in a photograph being taken in handcuffs, wearing a helmet and a vest, by police.

According to his lawyer, Alexei Schacht, Macias will appear before the Brooklyn federal court on Monday (July 21) where he will plead not guilty.

The U.S. and Ecuadorean governments have not confirmed his extradition. Flight data shows that a U.S. government plane departed from Guayaquil after 2 p.m. local time.

Macias escaped last year from an Ecuadorean prison, where he was serving a 34-year sentence for a slew of crimes. He was recaptured last month.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SCREENSHOTS OF ECUADOREAN GANG LEADER JOSE ADOLFO MACIAS VILLAMAR, KNOWN AS "FITO," BEING ESCORTED BY OFFICERS DURING EXTRADITION OPERATION / FILE FOOTAGE OF FITO

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: GIVEN AS GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR (RELEASED ON JULY 20, 2025) (SNAI – Access all) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (MUTE)

1. VARIOUS OF STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF ECUADOREAN GANG LEADER JOSE ADOLFO MACIAS “FITO” ESCORTED BY OFFICERS DURING EXTRADITION OPERATION

GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR (FILE - JUNE 25, 2025) (ECUADOREAN COMMUNICATION MINISTRY HANDOUT - Access all)

2. (NIGHT SHOT) GANG LEADER JOSE ADOLFO MACIAS, "FITO," GETTING OUT OF POLICE VEHICLE

3. FITO PUTTING HIS FINGERPRINT ON THE PRISON REGISTRY BOOK

4. VARIOUS OF FITO BEING ESCORTED BY SOLDIERS AND WALKING THROUGH PRISON CORRIDORS

5. FITO SEATED, SURROUNDED BY PRISON OFFICER AND SOLDIERS

6. FITO ENTERING CELL AND SOLDIER CLOSING CELL DOOR

7. FITO INSIDE CELL

GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR (FILE - AUGUST 12, 2023) (ECUADOREAN POLICE HANDOUT – Access all)

8. FITO BEING ESCORTED BY POLICE AND MILITARY INSIDE PRISON

9. FITO (SECOND INMATE LYING ON THE FLOOR FROM BOTTOM TO TOP WEARING BLACK UNDERWEAR) NEXT TO OTHER INMATES LYING ON THE GROUND GUARDED BY POLICE AND MILITARY