Assassination of a judge in Ecuador warns about the safety of judiciary officials

Published at: 14/05/2026 08:26 PM

In Ecuador, there is shock over the crime of the Criminal Guarantees judge of the Santa Rosa (El Oro) canton, Lady Gissela Pachar Huanga, who was shot dead a few days ago in Machala. The 41-year-old official was attacked by assassins while she was moving in her vehicle along Colón Tinoco Avenue, south of the capital of Orense.

In a statement that was published this Thursday, May 14, 2026, the Constitutional Court (CC) regretted the fact that it mourns the Judicial Branch. He sympathized with the magistrate's family, friends and colleagues. He expressed concern about the security conditions of justice operators, especially in contexts marked by violence and organized crime.

He said that the protection of judges is an indispensable guarantee for the rule of law, judicial independence and the preservation of democracy. “No justice system can act with full independence if those who administer justice must perform their functions under threats, intimidation or risk scenarios.”

Mazo News Team