Tomás Beltrán, a local journalist from the coastal city of Calceta in Ecuador’s Manabí province, was shot dead on Sunday night while manoeuvring his car into his garage.
The fatal attack occurred amid a surge of gang violence that has turned Ecuador, once regarded as one of Latin America’s safest countries, into one of its most violent. Beltrán’s death has been linked to the ongoing conflict over drug‑trafficking routes that crisscross the Pacific coastline of Manabí.
Beltrán was known for running a Facebook page that delivered news about Calceta. His work focused on local events and developments in the city, which has become a key flashpoint in the broader gang warfare sweeping the region.
Details of the shooting remain sparse, but witnesses report that the gunshot was fired as the journalist was entering his garage. Authorities have not yet released a statement on the motive or perpetrators.
The incident underscores the growing threat to journalists in Ecuador, where the rise in gang activity has increased risks for those reporting on crime and public affairs.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>