Ecuador: Third political leader killed in a week after presidential hopeful's assassination

Ecuador is reeling from an unprecedented surge in violence that has claimed the life of yet another political leader namedPedro Briones,marking the third such killing in the past four weeks. This disturbing trend includes the assassination of a presidential hopeful, casting a dark shadow over the country's political landscape.

The latest victim, Briones, was an organiser for Citizen Revolution, the party founded by former president Rafael Correa. Luisa González, a prominent figure in the party and the frontrunner in the recent special presidential election, confirmed Briones's death. She expressed her condolences on X (formerly Twitter), describing Ecuador's current state as its "bloodiest era."

Series of assassinations unfold

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Pedro Briones's murder occurred less than a week after the daylight assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, a vocal critic of organised crime and corruption, reported the Guardian.

These incidents follow the killing of Agustín Intriago, the mayor of Manta, Ecuador's third-largest city, on July 26. Intriago, who had recently been re-elected, was gunned down amid escalating violence.

Rising crime amidpolitical turmoil

Ecuador has been grappling with an alarming rise in violence, particularly over the past three years, as the nation has transformed into a significant drug trafficking hub. Local gangs, often with cartel affiliations, are vying for control of the streets, prisons, and drug routes, resulting in thousands of casualties. This surge in crime and violence has significantly influenced discussions surrounding the recent presidential election.

In response to the escalating violence, authorities moved José Adolfo Macías, also known as Fito, the leader of one of the country's powerful gangs, Los Choneros, into a maximum-security prison.

Villavicencio had previously accused this gang and its leader of threatening him and his campaign team, linking Fito to Mexico's Sinaloa cartel. The transfer followed a significant operation involving thousands of soldiers and police officers raiding the prison and confiscating weapons and explosives.

Also watch |Ecuador under state of emergency after presidential candidate shot

Grim statistics

Ecuador's grim reality is underscored by alarming statistics. The national police reported 3,568 violent deaths in the first half of this year, a stark increase from the 2,042 reported during the same period in 2022. The year 2022 concluded with a record-high 4,600 violent deaths, doubling the previous year's total. This disturbing trend paints a distressing picture of Ecuador's security situation and challenges the nation's efforts to maintain stability.

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