A gang shootout left six people dead and six wounded in the city of Guayaquil on Monday, in the latest episode of violence that has plagued Ecuador’s largest city.
According to police sources, the shooting occurred around noon in the suburb of Bastion Popular, where two rival gangs exchanged fire with pistols and rifles.
The victims were reportedly members or associates of the gangs involved in the confrontation.
Background
The police have not identified the gangs responsible for the attack, but local media have speculated that they could be Los Choneros and Los Lagartos, two of the most powerful and violent criminal groups in the country.
Los Choneros and Los Lagartos have been fighting for control of drug trafficking and extortion rackets in Guayaquil and other parts of Ecuador, especially since the assassination of Los Choneros’ leader, José Luis Zambrano, alias “Rasquiña”, in December 2022.
The death of Rasquiña triggered a wave of violence in Ecuador’s prisons, where hundreds of inmates have been killed or injured in clashes between rival factions.
In October 2022, at least 118 prisoners died in a bloody riot at the El Litoral prison in Guayaquil, the worst in Ecuador’s history.
Impact
The violence has also spilled over to the streets, where several prison guards, police officers, judges and witnesses have been targeted by hitmen hired by the gangs.
In April 2023, three female prison guards were shot dead outside El Litoral prison by gunmen on motorcycles.
The government of President Guillermo Lasso has declared a state of emergency in several provinces and deployed thousands of troops and police officers to restore order and security.
However, critics have accused Lasso of being weak and ineffective in dealing with the crisis, as well as facing corruption allegations and impeachment threats from a hostile congress.
Context
Ecuador is one of the main transit countries for cocaine produced in Colombia and destined for the United States and Europe.
According to the United Nations, Ecuador seized more than 128 tons of cocaine in 2022, a record amount for the country.
