Ecuador Judge Lady Pachar Shot Dead in Machala as 16 Judges or Prosecutors Have Been Killed Since 2022
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · May 13
Ecuador Judge Lady Pachar Shot Dead in Machala as 16 Judges or Prosecutors Have Been Killed Since 2022
2 articles · Updated · CBS New York · May 13
Lady Pachar was shot dead Monday while driving to a gym in Machala, police said, and her two bodyguards were not with her at the time.
Police sources told AFP the judge had received threats and was likely killed in retaliation for releasing gang members, pointing to organized crime pressure on the courts.
Ecuador's Judicial Council called the killing a grave attack on justice and the rule of law, while the judges' association said independent judges are essential for justice.
At least 16 judges or prosecutors have been killed in Ecuador since 2022, including another judge slain by a motorbike gunman last October.
The murder comes during President Daniel Noboa's recurring states of emergency and anti-gang crackdown; despite military deployments and raids, Ecuador recorded 9,216 violent deaths last year.
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Record Homicide Rates and the Killing of Judge Lady Pachar: Ecuador’s Judiciary Faces Escalating Drug Violence
Overview
On May 11, 2026, Judge Lady Pachar was assassinated in Machala, Ecuador, highlighting the country’s deepening security crisis. Police quickly began investigating the crime, which underscored the dangers faced by judicial officials amid rising violence. Ecuador’s role as a major transit point for cocaine from Colombia and Peru has fueled powerful criminal organizations, leading to widespread violence and corruption. In response, President Noboa declared a state of emergency in January 2024, but the assassination shows that organized crime continues to threaten even those tasked with upholding justice.