Ecuadorian drug kingpin Jose Adolfo Macias, alias "Fito," has been extradited to the United States, weeks after his dramatic recapture following a jailbreak that plunged the nation into chaos earlier this year.

Authorities on Sunday escorted Macias under tight security from La Roca, the country’s most secure prison in Guayaquil, to the city’s airport, where he was handed over to U.S. officials aboard a Department of Justice aircraft.

A photo released by Ecuador’s prison agency shows the gang leader clad in casual clothes, a helmet, and a bulletproof vest, surrounded by heavily armed police officers.

Fito, head of the notorious Los Choneros cartel since 2020, faces federal charges in Brooklyn for allegedly trafficking massive quantities of cocaine and smuggling firearms. He was indicted in April on seven counts related to drug and weapons offenses.

His escape from prison in January 2024, while serving a 34-year sentence for homicide and drug trafficking, triggered a spate of nationwide violence.

The unrest saw armed gangs storming a live TV broadcast and widespread attacks that forced President Daniel Noboa to declare an internal armed conflict. The government also classified over 20 criminal groups, including Los Choneros, as terrorist organizations.

Authorities tracked Fito down last month in a hidden bunker beneath a luxury mansion in Manabí province, ending his more than year-long run. The hideout featured high-end amenities, including a private gym and game room.

U.S. prosecutors on Sunday filed a request in a New York court seeking his continued detention, citing the danger he poses and the high risk of escape. His attorney, Alexei Schacht, confirmed he would appear in Brooklyn Federal Court on Monday.

Macias faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum life sentence if convicted in the U.S.