This is a 28-¶ story on Manafort in Ecuador.

Can you point me to any one of those ¶s that explains (who what where when how) whether Assange was going to be brought to this country to face charges or retire at Mar-a-Lago?

Manafort Tried to Broker Deal With Ecuador to Hand Assange Over to U.S.
There is no evidence that Paul Manafort was working with President Trump or other administration officials on the talks, which stemmed from 2017 discussions on Chinese investment.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/us/politics/manafort-assange-wikileaks-ecuador.html
Here's the first ¶ where a news story should be expected to say: Ecuador boots Assange ... for charges or retirement?!?!

It doesn't.

Two ¶s here. "Handover."

Again, that could mean for prosecution or for retirement.

Which is it?!?!

Reference to Comey being fired and Mueller being appointed is like HOLY SHIT BREAKING THIS IS THE SCOOP!!!!!

If Mueller's hiring interrupted Manafort's efforts to free Ecuador of its Assange problem, then he wasn't coming here to face charges, and if that's true that's YUUUGE.
3 more ¶s that don't tell you what the intent of bringing Assange to the US really was.

What does "resolve" mean?

This, 13 ¶s in, is the first that the story suggests Moreno is willing to make a deal, basically buying out Assange w/benefits.

This. This!!!

Aside from raising questions about how Manafort, after forfeiting $46M, still employs a spox, raises the stakes bc why mention RU if RU isn't involved?

What does "aligned with US interests" mean if the POTUS got elected with the help of Assange?

I mean, this is a crazypants story, that never gets around to explaining THE MOST BASIC fact behind it: was Manafort trying to help or hurt Assange? Add in the Chinese investment and it sounds like a buy-off.
As such, it feels like a story planted to explain something that its sources (how does Manafort still have the $$ to pay a spox???) would like to pre-empt.
I'm going to repeat again.

Manafort, who has been in jail since June and (per his former business partner) broke since mid-2016, still has $$ for a spox.

Who is paying for that?
So here's my guess: the underlying facts to this story are 180 opposite to what they seem, and Manafort was trying to bring Assange here for a golf retirement.

Because why the fuck not, before Trump stupidly fires Comey?