Manta, Ecuador violence surge

In late July 2026, violence escalated in the coastal city of Manta, Ecuador. On 28 July, Sergeant César Ramiro Valverde Martínez of the National Canine Anti‑Narcotics Unit was shot dead inside a residence, marking the fifth police officer murder in Manabí province within two months. Authorities cordoned the scene and opened an investigation, but no motive or suspects were identified.

Two days later, a 17‑year‑old student was ambushed and killed while walking to school in the Eloy Alfaro parish of Manta. Police linked the homicide to growing conflicts among teenagers who use TikTok and other platforms to flaunt allegiance to criminal groups. Officials warned parents to monitor online activity, noting that similar online‑driven gang violence had previously led to a student murder in Montecristi.

Together, the incidents illustrate a widening pattern of lethal attacks targeting both law‑enforcement personnel and civilians, with authorities citing both traditional criminal motives and emerging social‑media‑fueled gang rivalries as drivers of the surge.