Gang violence escalates in Ecuador, many casualties

The attack took place at around 7pm on March 30 (local time) in a pedestrian area in the city of Guayaquil. According to police, the armed group moved in a grey Chevrolet Spark to the location, where a group of people were exercising. The gunmen got out of the car and attacked people.

"So far, nine people have been killed and 10 injured in the attack," police Colonel Ramiro Arequipa said around noon on March 31. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Violence is escalating in Ecuador, many people are injured. Photo 1 — Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa shakes hands with a farmer during a visit to Poalo, Ecuador, on March 21. Photo: AP

This is the second deadly attack in recent days. Earlier on March 29, an armed gang kidnapped and killed five people in the coastal province of Manabi, Ecuador. According to police, the victims may have been tourists caught up in a local drug trafficking dispute.

In that incident, the armed group kidnapped a total of 11 people. Police said the remaining six, including five minors, were rescued and returned to their families. Police said two suspects were arrested on the morning of March 30.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said the killings in Manabi province were a sign that narco-terrorism was still going on. In January, he declared a state of emergency, allowing security forces including police and military to operate regularly. He also imposed a five-hour curfew in high-risk areas such as Guayaquil.

Once considered a bastion of peace in Latin America, Ecuador has seen a rise in violent attacks in recent years. According to police, the country surpassed 40 violent deaths per 100,000 inhabitants by the end of 2023, one of the highest rates in Latin America.

On March 24, the 27-year-old mayor of a small town in Manabi province was murdered along with her colleague. Their bodies were found in a car with gunshot wounds. On March 28, a riot at a Guayaquil prison left three inmates dead and four injured.

Ngoc Anh (according to AP)

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