Armed individuals, posing as military personnel, attacked a cockfighting venue in rural Ecuador on the night of Thursday, April 17, resulting in 12 fatalities and several injuries. This incident marks one of the most lethal attacks in the region this year.
The attack took place in the La Valencia community within El Carmen canton, located in Manabí province. This event underscores the increasing insecurity in a nation previously regarded as relatively peaceful in South America.
Security cameras documented the chilling scene as at least five men entered the cockfighting ring wielding automatic rifles and began shooting at the unsuspecting crowd. The audience members scrambled for safety as bullets rained down. Witnesses reported that the assailants also stole around $20,000 in prize money during the incident.
“We have 12 people deceased as a result of an armed attack by a criminal group,” stated Police Colonel Renan Miller Rivera. He noted that several individuals were injured, though he did not provide specific numbers.
Following the attack, law enforcement detained four suspects believed to be linked to the assault. Among those apprehended was a person described by National Police Chief Victor Hugo Zarate as a “target of intermediate value,” allegedly connected to a criminal organization called “R7.”
The attackers’ use of counterfeit military uniforms is a tactic commonly used by criminal gangs operating in Ecuador. This strategy allows them to maneuver more easily and potentially confuse both victims and authorities during violent operations.
Subsequent to the attack, authorities found abandoned military-style uniforms and two vehicles on a nearby highway. According to Colonel Rivera, one vehicle was set on fire while the other was overturned, suggesting an attempt by the perpetrators to destroy evidence and obscure their escape route.
Police later released video footage showing the recovery of concealed evidence hidden under bags and tree branches. The seized items included eight rifles, four pistols, three shotguns, eight magazines, 11 cell phones, ballistic helmets, and tactical gloves—indicative of the sophisticated equipment used by these criminal organizations.
This incident is part of a larger trend of escalating violence gripping Ecuador in recent years. The country has experienced a significant increase in drug-related crime, with the homicide rate rising from six per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018 to a record 47 per 100,000 in 2023. The month of January alone witnessed 781 murders, marking it the deadliest month in Ecuador’s recent history.
The massacre in La Valencia is now regarded as the deadliest armed attack in Manabí’s history. The province has been under a 60-day state of emergency since April 12 due to the surge in gang-related violence.
Ecuador’s strategic position has made it a major transit point for illicit drugs, particularly cocaine, moving from neighboring Colombia and Peru—the two largest cocaine producers globally—to markets in the United States and Europe. The Center for Strategic and International Studies indicates several factors that have made Ecuador vulnerable to becoming a central player in the international drug trade.
The organization highlighted that weak political institutions, a dollarized economy, and a free trade agreement with Europe have created favorable conditions for cocaine transshipment through Ecuador. President Daniel Noboa has stated that roughly 70% of the world’s cocaine now passes through Ecuador’s ports before reaching international destinations.
The country is currently home to approximately 20 criminal gangs engaged in various illicit activities, including drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion. These organizations have been fighting for control over cocaine routes, leading to what police officials describe as roughly one killing every hour at the start of this year.
Since January 2024, Ecuador has been under a state of internal armed conflict declared by President Noboa in response to the escalating violence. The government has officially designated 22 gangs as terrorist organizations and has deployed military forces to counter their influence.
Criminal groups originating from the prison system have expanded operations throughout Ecuador, fragmenting the criminal landscape as local gangs seek autonomy. Experts warn that the government’s heavily militarized approach may yield only short-term results without addressing the root causes of crime.
The growing presence of international criminal organizations has further complicated Ecuador’s security challenges. Mexican cartels and European mafia groups have established operations in the country, particularly in coastal regions near major ports. These foreign entities have reportedly trained local gangs and introduced new criminal methodologies, including extreme violence, to maintain territorial control.
As investigators work to uncover the full details surrounding this violent incident, many Ecuadorians continue to live in fear amid what has become one of Latin America’s most serious security crises.
