A devastating explosion occurred on a bustling shopping street in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Tuesday evening, leaving one person dead and two others injured. Authorities have labeled the incident as an intentional attack. The victim, identified as a nearby cab driver, succumbed to the blast, according to Maj. Jorge Montanero of the Guayaquil fire department, who spoke to local television station Ecuavisa. Emergency responders evacuated surrounding buildings as a precaution, while police conducted thorough inspections of vehicles in the area. Montanero hinted at the possibility of a car bomb, stating, “A normal car doesn’t blow up like that.”
Guayaquil’s police chief, Francisco Zumárraga, confirmed the discovery of a “new threat” and announced plans for a controlled detonation. He vowed to apprehend those responsible for the attack. The Attorney General’s Office has launched an investigation, interviewing witnesses and reviewing surveillance footage to piece together the events.
This incident adds to a troubling pattern of vehicle explosions in Ecuador, which saw a surge in violence following the assassination of a presidential candidate in 2023. Earlier this year, a bomb attributed to a criminal network exploded outside Ecuador’s largest prison, killing a prison guard. While other explosions in Quito last year caused minor damage, Tuesday’s attack has raised alarms.
Governor Humberto Plaza of Guayas province, where Guayaquil is the capital, condemned the explosion as “terrorism plain and simple” and pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice. “We’re going to grab them, and they’re going to pay,” he declared. The explosion shattered windows in nearby restaurants and stores, leaving the community in shock and underscoring the growing security challenges in the region.