Ecuador Youngest Mayor Shot Dead

Brigitte Garcia

Bolivia's youngest mayor, Brigitte Garcia, was fatally shot

On Sunday, March 24, the mayor of San Vicente, Ecuador, Brigitte Garcia, and her director of communications, Jairo Loor, were discovered dead in a car, both from gunshot wounds.

It was learned that the rental car was the source of the gunshots, and attempts are being made to monitor its whereabouts using GPS.

The 27-year-old Garcia belonged to the party known as the Citizen Revolution Movement, which was previously headed by former President Rafael Correa.

In response to the event, Correa and the party's presidential nominee, Luisa Gonzalez, denounced Garcia's murder and declared it to be an assassination.

Gonzalez conveyed his deep surprise while highlighting Ecuador's pervasive insecurity.

This sad incident is the latest in a string of political figure murders in Ecuador, which began with the August 2023 assassination of presidential contender Fernando Villavicencio.

Villavicencio was shot and killed as he was leaving a campaign event. He was well-known for his opposition to organized crime and corruption.

In January, however, armed attackers stormed a TV station during a live broadcast, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare a state of emergency.

As part of the government's response, Noboa classified 22 criminal organizations as terrorist organizations.

Following the demise of Garcia and Loor, the administration of Noboa promised prompt action, working closely with the prosecutor's office and law enforcement to speed investigations.

In addition, the government extended the state of emergency earlier this month, reiterating its commitment to upholding public order regulations to guarantee the security and well-being of all Ecuadorians.