Gunmen Impersonating Police Kill Ecuadorian Drug Lord's Brother
Police accused a group of men wearing police uniforms of carrying out a shooting in the early hours of Sunday in the town of Olón on Ecuador’s Pacific coast. The victims were residents of the upscale district where David Macías sat. Macías, 35, was a key regional leader in Los Choneros, the criminal gang that was until last year dominated by his brother Adolfo. Adolfo is held in the United States after being extradited from Ecuador for drug‑trafficking charges and is awaiting trial.
Los Choneros has been listed by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization and is blamed for much of Ecuador’s surge in homicides. According to authorities, David Macías was shot while inside his rented apartment. Witnesses say the would-be police men entered the home, shooting him and then fleeing with no arrests reported.
Such incidents are not uncommon in gang‑dominated areas, where rival factions or even former members strike for power. A month ago a local gang leader was gunned down by teenage gunmen leaving the international airport in Guayaquil, who had concealed weapons behind toys and a bouquet of flowers.
David Macías had admitted guilt to conspiracy charges in 2018 and, while imprisoned, allegedly recruited inmates into Los Choneros, gaining significant influence over the prison environment. His death follows the apprehension of his sibling Adolfo two years earlier and the capture of another brother, Javier, in Colombia last month.
The situation in Ecuador underscores ongoing instability as the government battles a growing number of violent drug‑related groups. No suspects have yet been named or detained for Macías’s murder, but investigators are focusing on the possibility of a broader gang‑related vendetta.
