The mayor of one of Ecuador’s main Pacific ports was assassinated a month ahead of presidential elections as skyrocketing crime overwhelms the authorities, making the formerly peaceful nation as violent as Mexico and Colombia.
(Bloomberg) — The mayor of one of Ecuador’s main Pacific ports was assassinated a month ahead of presidential elections as skyrocketing crime overwhelms the authorities, making the formerly peaceful nation as violent as Mexico and Colombia.
The mayor of Manta, Agustin Intriago, 38, was gunned down during a public event Sunday, in the second deadly attack on a politician in a week. A woman also was also killed, while two of the attackers were wounded and in custody, according to Interior Minister Juan Zapata. He didn’t elaborate on motives.
Following a security committee meeting in the city of Duran, President Guillermo Lasso decreed a 60-day state of emergency and 10pm-5am curfews for the province of Manabi surrounding Manta as well as for the province of Los Rios and for Duran’s municipal area.
“Criminal violence is a matter of State and the administration of justice must do its part,” he added as early release of suspect and convicted criminals over recent months have led to criticism of the courts. “Impunity is a negative message for society,” Lasso said.
Also on Sunday, a confrontation between crime gangs in a prison in Guayaquil left at least six inmates dead and 11 injured, the prison service said. Prisoners in other major jails have seized 96 security guards, it added.
Ecuador’s homicide rate has increased by more 300% over the last five years, as Colombian cocaine poured into the country and rival mafias fought for control of smuggling routes to the US and Europe. Last year’s murder rate of 25 per 100,000 inhabitants was slightly higher than that of Mexico and Colombia, according to data collected by news outlet Primicias.
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A poll this month found that crime was the top issue for voters, followed by unemployment.
Politicians Targeted
Politicians are increasingly being targeting in the violence. A week earlier, Rider Sanchez, a candidate for congress allied with centrist presidential candidate Otto Sonnenholzner, was shot and killed in an apparent robbery attempt in Quininde.
City councilman Jairo Olaya, of the socialist Citizen Revolution party, was murdered in the city of Esmeraldas last month. Duran’s mayor Luis Chonillo narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in May, on his first day in office.
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All the main candidates in the Aug. 20 presidential election have pledged to get tough on crime. Polls published so far show Luisa Gonzalez of the socialist Citizen Revolution party leading, with several other candidates vying to make it into a runoff against her.
In reaction to Intriago’s murder, three candidates – centrist former Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner, Indigenous leader Yaku Perez, and conservative former sniper Jan Topic – announced via Twitter that they were temporarily suspending their campaign activities in mourning.
(Updates with state of emergency in third, number of guards held in riots in fifth paragraph)
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