Police footage shows a sudden ambush outside the arrivals hall of José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city. Two young men waiting with stuffed toys and a bouquet of flowers pulled out a gun from behind the teddy bear and shot the man, who police say was the 39‑year‑old leader of Los Águilas in El Triunfo, east of Guayaquil. The gunmen fired at point‑blank range before one fled on foot; the other aimed again at the victim. Authorities have detained both teenagers and are still investigating the crime, which included an injured bystander’s collapse as a suitcase fell to the floor.
Los Águilas, declared a terrorist organization by President Daniel Noboa in 2024, is known for drug trafficking and extortion. Ecuador sits between Colombia and Peru, the world’s largest coca producers, and has become a key route for cocaine destined for the United States, Europe and beyond. The death of a gang leader in such a public setting comes amid a wave of violence that forced the president to declare states of emergency in ten provinces, including the province of Guayas where the attack occurred.
Authorities have urged the public to remain calm at a scene that triggered panic among passengers, with police and military closing the arrivals hall for more than two hours to conduct forensic investigations. The incident highlights the volatility of Ecuador’s security situation and the need for stronger protective measures in high‑risk public spaces such as airports. The government’s emergency powers give security forces the ability to search homes without a warrant when they suspect illicit activity, but the murder rate hit a record height in 2025, indicating that deeper reforms are required to curb gang violence and protect civilians.
