In brief
In a shocking incident in Ecuador, David Macías, the brother of the notorious drug lord Adolfo Macías, was shot early Sunday morning by men who disguised themselves as police officers. Macías, a 35‑year‑old regional leader of the Los Choneros gang, had been living in an upscale rental on Ecuador’s Pacific coast when the attack occurred. Authorities say the gunmen fled without leaving a suspect, and no arrests have been made. This killing comes amid ongoing efforts by Ecuadorian forces to dismantle Los Choneros, which the United States has listed as a foreign terrorist organization. The incident follows the 2025 arrest of Adolfo Macías in the United States and the recent capture of his brother Javier in Colombia, underscoring the continued turmoil within the gang network.
On Sunday morning, police reported that David Macías, 35, was killed by gunmen who had disguised themselves as law‑enforcement officers. Macías was described as a regional leader for the Los Choneros gang, which had been headed by his older brother, Adolfo Macías.
Adolfo, known as “Fito,” is awaiting trial in the United States following his extradition from Ecuador last year, after the U.S. government listed Los Choneros as a foreign terrorist organization.
Witnesses said the armed men entered Macías’ rented home in an upscale neighbourhood in Olón on Ecuador’s Pacific coast. The attackers fled the scene without leaving a suspect, and authorities confirmed that no arrests have been made so far.
Such strikes on gang figures are common, as rival groups or even different factions within the same organization vie for control. A similar case earlier this year involved a gang leader shot by teenage gunmen leaving a Guayaquil airport, with the attackers using unusual concealment tactics to avoid detection.
David Macías had pleaded guilty in 2018 to criminal conspiracy charges and, while imprisoned, was accused of recruiting inmates to extend Los Choneros’ influence into the prison environment.
The killing adds to a series of setbacks for the gang, following last year’s arrest of Adolfo Macías and last month’s capture of another brother, Javier, in Colombia.
