Five tourists were “accidentally” killed on the beach

Five Ecuadorian tourists mistaken for rivals of attackers kidnapped and killed on Ayampe Beach in southwestern Ecuador, President Daniel Noboa expressed his “Unity with families”.

The President indicated on his X account that a man was arrested in a case involving drug trafficking “try to sow terror”. “We will not rest until we find another”, said Daniel Noboa. According to local police commander Richard Vaca, a total of 20 armed men participated in the kidnapping. Six adults and five children were among the group of tourists who reached Ayampe on Thursday afternoon.

The victims were subjected “inquiry”, said Commander Vaca. The bodies of five adults with bullet wounds were found hours later on a nearby road. The commander clarified that the attackers “Apparently these people were mistaken for their opponents”.

A wave of violence

Elected in November as the youngest president in the country’s history, Daniel Noboa, 36, has been facing an unprecedented wave of violence since January 7 following the announcement of the escape of dangerous gang leader Adolfo Macias alias. “fito”. Riots in prisons, hostage-taking, attacks against law enforcement and in neighborhoods… The young head of state had to mobilize more than 22,000 soldiers and police and declare a state of emergency for 60 days.

Despite these measures, armed violence has not stopped. On Friday, four people, including an army officer, were killed in Manabi, Manta town. Last weekend, the mayor of San Vicente in the same province was shot dead. On Wednesday, three were killed and six injured in a prison riot in Guayaquil (Southwest). From this prison itself “fito”The leader of the Los Choneros gang, escaped in January.

Ecuador, once a haven of peace, has been engulfed in violence after becoming a major export point for cocaine produced in neighboring Peru and Colombia. There is an 800% increase in homicides between 2018 and 2023, from six to 46 per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2023, 7,800 murders were reported and 220 tons of drugs were seized.