Ecuador Interior Minister John Reimberg Shot During Anti‑Drug Raid

Ecuador's interior minister, John Reimberg, was shot by a woman as police attempted to enter a house in the coastal city of Esmeraldas on 31 July 2026. The woman, identified as Patricia Espinosa (alias “Lili”), opened fire on the minister and the accompanying officers, later claiming she had acted by mistake. Reimberg said, “Nos recibió a balazos. Al ver la presencia importante de los policías que nos acompañaron, decidió lanzar el arma y esconderse.”

Espinosa, her two brothers and ten other suspects were detained in coordinated operations that also took place in the provinces of Manabí and Tungurahua. Among those arrested was a police officer alleged to have collaborated with the criminal network that traffics narcotics and illegal fuel along the Esmeraldas and Manabí coasts. Reimberg condemned the betrayal, stating, “El que traiciona el uniforme, traiciona al país.” The raid is part of Ecuador's broader offensive against drug‑related crime and illegal fuel trafficking.