Ecuador sees sharp rise in homicides and gang recruitment of minors

International analysts report that Ecuador recorded 9,216 homicides in 2025, a rise of more than 30 % over the previous year. The government responded by declaring an internal armed conflict, deploying military forces, building a high‑security prison and repeatedly invoking states of emergency. Experts attribute the surge to the fragmentation of criminal networks, which have expanded into illegal mining and transnational drug trafficking, and note that firearms were used in over 80 % of the killings.

In Guayaquil, criminal gangs are increasingly recruiting adolescents, seeking leadership qualities, accounting skills and even singing ability. Between 2014 and 2025, 603 minors under 15 were killed, and gangs lure youths with money, power and a sense of belonging. Survivors describe a “school of hitmen” environment where recruitment is carried out by peers from the same neighborhoods, intensifying fear and violence among the city’s youth.