Inda Mariela Peñarrieta, the wife of fugitive Ecuadorian drug trafficker José Adolfo Macías, and her three children
were released late yesterday, eight hours after arriving deported from Argentina
, because they did not have arrest warrants in Ecuador.
Peñarrieta, his four children and the three companions who were detained on Thursday night in the Argentine city of Córdoba and were
deported in a few hours
and taken to Guayaquil on an Argentine Air Force plane, left the Simón Bolívar air base. , at the end of this Friday afternoon, aboard armored vehicles that took them to their home, reported Teleamazonas, cited by the newspaper Primicias.
Mónica Palencia, government minister of President Daniel Noboa, quoted by the newspaper Universo, said that Fito's wife and other relatives would not have any charges against him,
nor "a current arrest warrant for any crime."
“From what I know, she (Macías's wife) has no detention status.
What happened is that she has been expelled from the Republic of Argentina
due to an immigration issue.
I don't know more, I understand that she would not have any problem with the Ecuadorian justice system,"
Regarding the legal status of the delegation, the State Attorney General, Diana Salazar, indicated to NTN24 of Colombia that proceedings were being carried out regarding a previous investigation that remains confidential.
Minister Patricia Bullrich at the time of the announcement of the expulsion of Fito's family AFP
"We are carrying out the respective procedures to
make a decision
on the legal situation of the lady," Peñarrieta, added the official.
Suspicions
For at least seven years, Ecuadorian authorities have suspected Peñarrieta and investigated her dizzying
transition from nurse to wealthy businesswoman.
The first case began on June 29, 2017. Prosecutor César Suárez - murdered this week in Guayaquil - filed charges for alleged organized crime against 21 people, among whom was Adolfo Macías, alias 'Fito', who already He was then in prison, like seven other defendants in the case.
However, from prison, these people - in complicity with others outside the prison - headed a structure dedicated to
vehicle theft, hitmen and extortion, in Manta.
The murdered prosecutor Guayas César Suárez, who at that time was working as Manta prosecutor, had intercepted several calls from the defendants.
For this reason, he requested that expert recognition be carried out on the voices of several suspects.
On the list was Mariela Peñarrieta, wife of 'Fito'.
Based on these indications, on October 4, 2017, Suárez requested
the involvement of Peñarrieta and 16 other people.
In total, there were already 38 defendants in that case.
Among the elements presented by Suárez to link Peñarrieta were the calls and messages that he had had with 'Fito'.
But, in addition, a financial analysis report, in which the woman had
income of USD 1.1 million
and expenses of USD 108,000.
Image taken from the X count of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces showing the request poster for José Adolfo Macías Villamizar, alias Fito.
The Police arrested in Córdoba (western Argentina) several relatives and friends of the Ecuadorian drug trafficker José Adolfo "Fito" Macías, a fugitive from justice and who is considered one of those responsible for the wave of violence that Ecuador is experiencing, according to sources of security cited by local media.
Although the identity or number of those detained has not been officially reported, local media indicate that there are eight and among them are "Fito" Macias' wife, Inda Mariela Peñarrieta Tuarez, and three of his children, Michelle, 21 years, Ilse María, 12, and Lian Sejam, 4.- EFE
But, on November 11, 2017, prosecutor Suárez refrained from accusing Peñarrieta, so the judge in the case dismissed her and freed her from alleged responsibility in this case, according to the information reconstructed by Primicias.
According to the case file, Suárez presented the abstention ruling one day before the hearing in which it was to be decided whether the defendants were called to trial.
In addition to Mariela Peñarrieta, Jorge and Julio Peñarrieta Tuárez, the woman's brothers and brothers-in-law of 'Fito', benefited from the abstention of prosecutor Suárez's ruling.
Processes and dismissals
I
not guilty of unjustified enrichment
The next alert about Peñarrieta was raised in 2020, the Prosecutor's Office began a prior investigation for money laundering, tax fraud and unjustified private enrichment, of several people close to 'Fito'.
With reports from the financial system, the Superintendency of Companies, the Internal Revenue Service (SRI) and the Financial Analysis Unit (UAFE), he opened the tax investigation and filed charges for the three crimes against: Mariela Peñarrieta.
Jorge and Julio César Peñarrieta Tuárez (brothers of Inda Mariela), previously also dismissed in the case for organized crime.
Ronald Macías Villamar (brother of 'Fito').
Ramón Macías Intriago (cousin of 'Fito').
Peñarrieta's accounts, in eight banks and a cooperative,
included deposits of USD 2.1 million, between 2013 and 2019.
She is also a shareholder and manager of the companies Queenwater SA and the Heavy Cargo transportation company, Jomavi SA , both domiciled in Manabí.
Three months later, in November 2020, Judge Juan Espinosa accepted several defense arguments and
dismissed all defendants.
The Prosecutor's Office appealed and the Provincial Court of Manabí revoked the order of dismissal in February 2021. But in July 2022 the Court of Criminal Guarantees of Manta
ratified the ruling
of the first instance judge, declaring the innocence of the defendants.
All members of the group close to alias 'Fito'
entered Argentina legally on January 5
and stayed in a luxurious house in the country of Cordoba where they were detained, a property that they apparently paid in cash in November 2023.
They arrived a
couple of days before Fito's escape became known
and there was no warning about them.
Therefore, to achieve the deportation, Migrations - dependent on the Ministry of the Interior of Argentina - had to cancel the temporary residence of these people.