Police have announced that Ecuador’s youngest mayor was discovered dead on Sunday, having been shot. This tragic incident comes at a time when the country is facing a state of emergency lasting three months, which was implemented by the government to combat the escalating levels of gang violence.
In a recent post, Gonzalez expressed shock and disbelief upon learning about the assassination of their fellow mayor, Brigitte Garcia, in San Vicente.
Garcia, who proudly identifies herself as the youngest mayor in the country, recently took to social media to share updates on her latest endeavor – a project aimed at providing water to her municipality.
“On Thursday, she expressed her enthusiasm for building a brighter future for our community.”
In January, President Daniel Noboa took decisive action by imposing a state of emergency and declaring the country to be in a “state of war” against gangs. This bold move came after a surge of violence that ensued following the escape of Adolfo “Fito” Macias, the leader of the notorious gang “Los Choneros.”
In the same month, Noboa took decisive action to combat criminal gangs following a violent incident in which gunmen attacked a TV studio and opened fire. He issued orders to “neutralize” these gangs, as they posed a serious threat to the safety of civilians and security forces, with bandits even threatening random executions.
The military has been deployed in the streets and has taken control of the country’s prisons. In recent years, a series of gang riots has resulted in the deaths of approximately 460 people.
According to the government, they assert that their “Phoenix Plan” has effectively addressed the escalating violence within the country.
According to official figures, security forces have conducted approximately 165,000 operations, resulting in over 12,000 arrests. Additionally, they have eliminated 15 individuals classified as “terrorists” and confiscated around 65 tons of drugs since January.
Over the weekend, there were multiple reports of violent incidents, including an army patrol being ambushed in Sucumbios, a province located on the Colombian border. Tragically, one soldier lost their life while three others sustained injuries in this incident.
In Latacunga, an Andean city, a bomb threat caused the evacuation of a stadium hosting a professional soccer championship game.
According to a police report, a trained dog assisted authorities in conducting an inspection that led to the discovery of a suitcase in the stadium parking lot. The suitcase was found to contain five explosive charges, which were safely detonated under controlled conditions.
The government has announced plans to strengthen security measures in the wake of Garcia’s assassination.
Ecuador, once regarded as a haven of tranquility in Latin America, finds itself in the midst of a crisis. Over the years, transnational cartels have taken advantage of its ports to smuggle drugs to the United States and Europe.
