Six people, including a little girl about two years old, lost their lives and three others were injured on Sunday when gunmen opened fire on civilians gathered at a beach in southwestern Ecuador, according to police. The attack took place in Puerto López, in Manabí province, an area known as a popular tourist destination for whale watching.
As reported by the country’s media, the incident is part of a wave of violence that erupted over the weekend, resulting in a total of nine deaths in the region.
Local police chief William Acurio stated that the toll from the attack at a walkway next to the beach amounts to six dead and three injured, confirming that a young child is among the victims.
Once an oasis of peace and tranquility in Latin America, Ecuador, situated between the two countries that produce the largest quantities of cocaine in the world, Colombia and Peru, is experiencing an unprecedented surge in violence due to gang clashes linked to Mexican and Colombian cartels.
