Four Arrested Following Gruesome Attack at Ecuador Cockfight

Four suspects have been apprehended in connection with a deadly shooting at a cockfighting venue in Ecuador, where 12 individuals lost their lives, amid increasing violence tied to rampant criminal gangs and drug trafficking in the region.

Police in Ecuador have detained four suspects following a tragic shooting that left 12 people dead at a cockfighting event in the rural area of La Valencia, located in the northwestern Manabí province. The violence unfolded on Thursday, prompting swift law enforcement action that resulted in the seizure of weapons and replica military uniforms during subsequent police raids.

Graphic footage circulating on social media showcased the harrowing scene as gunmen stormed the venue, unleashing gunfire while terrified attendees scrambled for safety. Initial reports indicate that the assailants, dressed in counterfeit police and army attire, are believed to be affiliated with a criminal gang targeting rivals within the game—a reflection of the rising power struggle among numerous organized crime groups in the country.

Ecuador’s provincial leaders have initiated a criminal investigation into the incident, highlighting the grim reality that as many as 20 criminal gangs operate in the region, competing fiercely for dominance over essential drug trafficking routes. President Daniel Noboa remarked that approximately 70% of the world’s cocaine transits through Ecuador’s ports on its way to markets in the U.S. and Europe. Much of this illicit substance is imported from neighboring Colombia and Peru, which rank among the globe’s top cocaine producers.

The incidents have stirred significant concern, further compounded by statistics revealing that January recorded 781 murders, marking it as the deadliest month in recent memory, many linked to the ongoing battle for drug market control. As violence escalates, questions arise about how Ecuador’s once-celebrated tourism identity has succumbed to the menacing grip of gang warfare.