Suspected gang leader shot dead in flower bouquet ambush at airport
Summary
A suspected gang leader in Ecuador was killed in an ambush at the Guayaquil airport. Two teenagers were arrested for the shooting, which happened amid a rise in gang violence and a recent state of emergency declared by Ecuador’s president.Key Facts
- The victim, Carlos Alberto Suástegui Villanueva, was identified as the leader of the Los Águilas gang.
- The shooting occurred outside the arrivals terminal at José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil.
- Two young men waited with stuffed toys and flowers before one pulled a gun hidden behind a teddy bear and shot the victim at close range.
- Ecuador’s president declared a state of emergency in 10 provinces, including Guayas, to fight increasing gang violence.
- Los Águilas gang is linked to drug trafficking and extortion and was labeled a terrorist organization by President Daniel Noboa in 2024.
- Ecuador has become a key drug trafficking corridor between Colombia and Peru, major coca producers, and global cocaine markets.
- The attack at the airport caused panic among passengers, and one bystander was injured.
- Authorities closed the arrivals hall for over two hours to investigate the crime scene.
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