Los Lobos, a criminal organization with alleged ties to the Jalisco cartel from Mexico, is considered the second largest criminal organization in Ecuador, a country facing a growing wave of violence. The attack in El Carmen adds to a series of violent events in the region, such as the shooting in Manta in February, where a four-year-old girl lost her life.
The Ministry of the Interior of Ecuador has offered a reward for information to help capture the criminals. This incident has fueled speculation about possible settling of scores between mafias, given that the Los Lobos cartel had already claimed responsibility for the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in August 2023. Authorities suspect that those responsible are linked to organized crime, specifically with the Los Lobos cartel, known for its illicit activities in the region.
Renán Miller, chief of the National Police in Manabí, reported that special units have been deployed to investigate the attack. In a violent act that has left the residents of El Carmen perplexed, a group of individuals dressed as military personnel burst into a cockfight, resulting in at least 11 deaths and nine injuries. The victims were taken to hospitals in El Carmen and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, where at least four deceased have been identified.
In addition to the violence, the attackers took 20 thousand dollars after the assault. Military uniforms and abandoned vehicles were found at the crime scene, one of which was incinerated, which could be crucial for identifying the perpetrators of this brutal act. According to the media outlet Extra, the attack occurred around 11:40 PM on Thursday, with the assailants distributed among three trucks.
This attack, which took place at the La Valencia cockfighting venue in the rural parish of El Paraíso-La 14, has been described as the bloodiest in the recent history of the province of Manabí. The attackers, armed with assault rifles, arrived in three vehicles and ruthlessly fired at the crowd gathered for the event. These events underscore the urgent need to address the security crisis affecting the country.