At least thirteen people shot dead by armed gangs in Ecuador

Eight people were shot dead and at least ten injured in the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil. The victims were part of a group of people who were playing volleyball. They were shot at from a motorcycle and from a car without license plates.

The port city of Guayaquil, the country’s largest city, is a center of drug transport from Peru and Colombia to Europe and the US.

On Friday, five tourists from Ecuador were shot dead in Puerto López, on the west coast. The group consisted of six adults and five children, who were staying in a hotel on the coast for the Easter holidays. The victims are five adults.

They were allegedly kidnapped from the hotel by members of a criminal drug gang, possibly because the perpetrators believed they were members of a rival gang. Two gang members have been arrested during police operations. Rifles, pistols and more than 700 bullets were also seized.

Manhunt

President Noboa, commenting on the cold-blooded killings, said: “Every attack on an Ecuadorian is an attack on Ecuador. The drug terrorists and their allies are trying to scare us, but they will not succeed.”

Police and justice in Ecuador are engaged in a manhunt for armed gangs that are sowing death and destruction in the country. Before that, a state of emergency was declared three months ago. The government said that it would be a bloody battle, with deaths and injuries, but that intervention is necessary for a better future.

The police announced that they are hunting at least 22 gangs. It is not known how many gang members have been arrested during police actions in recent months.

Just yesterday the leader of one of the largest gangs was arrested. He is suspected, among other things, of involvement in the murder of presidential candidate Villavicencio last August.

The police shared images of the arrest of one of the suspects on X: