Gunmen Kill 39-Year-Old Los Águilas Leader at Guayaquil Airport as Ecuador Expands Emergency to 10 Provinces
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 18
Gunmen Kill 39-Year-Old Los Águilas Leader at Guayaquil Airport as Ecuador Expands Emergency to 10 Provinces
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 18
Summary
Two teenagers were detained after Carlos Alberto Suástegui Villanueva, 39, was shot point-blank outside Guayaquil airport's arrivals terminal on Wednesday.
Security footage showed two young men waiting with flowers and stuffed toys before one pulled a gun from behind a teddy bear and opened fire; a bystander was also injured.
Interior Minister John Reimberg identified the victim as the Los Águilas leader in El Triunfo, a gang the government classed as a terrorist organization in 2024 and links to drug trafficking and extortion.
The attack came a day after President Daniel Noboa declared a new state of emergency in 10 provinces, including Guayas, giving security forces broader search powers.
The daylight killing underscored Ecuador's deepening gang crisis: Guayaquil has been a major flashpoint, and the country's murder rate hit a record high in 2025 despite repeated emergency measures.
As Ecuador's US-backed war on gangs rages, why is the murder rate hitting a record high?
With brazen assassinations continuing, has Ecuador’s militarized security strategy already failed its citizens?
1,000 Days Under Siege: Ecuador’s Spiraling Gang Violence and the Killing of Los Águilas Leader Carlos Suástegui
Overview
On June 17, 2026, Carlos Suástegui, a suspected leader of the Los Águilas gang, was assassinated at Guayaquil Airport, causing immediate disruption as flights were suspended and the area was locked down for investigations. This brazen attack highlighted Ecuador’s escalating gang violence and the severe challenges the country faces. Occurring just one day after President Daniel Noboa declared a new state of emergency, the assassination underscored the ongoing impact of organized crime, with Ecuador nearing 1,000 consecutive days under a nationwide crisis. The event reflects how deeply gang violence is affecting public order and daily life in Ecuador.