Ecuador’s notorious gang leader, Jose Adolfo Macias, also known as “Fito,” has been transferred to a maximum security prison following his arrest. Fito, the head of the Los Choneros criminal group, was accused of threatening a presidential candidate before the candidate’s assassination. The transfer was carried out by a massive military and police operation involving 4,000 heavily armed agents. Images released by security forces showed Fito in his underwear, with his hands on his head and tied up. Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso announced the transfer on social media, stating that Fito would now be held at La Roca, a 150-person maximum security prison. The move comes as Ecuador remains under a state of emergency following the shocking assassination of journalist-turned-politician Fernando Villavicencio. Villavicencio’s widow blamed the state for her husband’s death, accusing the police of inadequate protection. She also pointed fingers at supporters of ex-president Rafael Correa. Six Colombians have been arrested in connection with the murder, while a seventh was killed in a shootout with bodyguards. The global community has condemned the violence in Ecuador, with Pope Francis expressing his strong disapproval of the “unjustifiable violence” plaguing the country.