Brother of Alias Fito Captured in Colombia as Ecuador Targets Los Choneros Network

Ecuador's security campaign against the circle around Los Choneros has a new development.

Ronald Javier Macias Villamar, known as alias Javi, was captured in Colombia. He is identified as the brother of Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, alias Fito, the leader of Los Choneros.

What Happened

Interior Minister John Reimberg announced the capture on Tuesday night and described it with the message: "El circulo se cierra".

The detention took place in Colombia during a joint operation involving Ecuador's National Police, Armed Forces and National Intelligence Center, in coordination with Colombian authorities.

Alias Javi had an Interpol red notice, and Ecuador is now awaiting his transfer back to the country.

Why He Matters

Ronald Javier Macias Villamar is 44 years old, was born on November 11, 1980, and is a lawyer by profession.

Authorities have identified him as one of the older members of Los Choneros and a figure close to the organization's leadership core.

After Fito's recapture and later extradition to the United States in 2025, alias Javi became one of the profiles watched by security agencies because of his possible influence inside the criminal structure.

His Judicial History

Judicial records connect alias Javi to proceedings for murder and bringing prohibited items into prison facilities.

In 2013, he was held in the maximum-security prison La Roca after receiving a murder sentence. Fito and Jorge Luis Zambrano Gonzalez, alias Rasquina, were also in that prison.

On the night of February 11, 2013, a group of 18 inmates escaped by the Daule River after neutralizing prison guards. The escapees included Rasquina, Fito and Javi.

Authorities later recaptured the Macias Villamar brothers in Manta.

Current Case

After serving his murder sentence, alias Javi did not register new sentences, but he currently faces an accusation in the Blanqueo Fito case.

Prosecutors identify him as an alleged co-author of money laundering, an offense carrying 10 to 13 years in prison under Ecuadorian law.

What This Means For Expats

This does not change day-to-day safety advice by itself, but it is part of the bigger security picture: Ecuador is targeting leadership circles and financial structures around major criminal organizations, not only street-level arrests.

For residents, that can mean more cross-border operations, more police announcements, and potentially more short-term pressure on groups already competing for territory. The practical approach remains the same: stay aware of local alerts, avoid known hot zones, and do not assume national security headlines are disconnected from local conditions.