Ecuador records record number of 345 minors murdered in the first seven months of the year

Published at: 25/08/2026 04:41 PM

Ecuador recorded a record number of 345 minors killed during the first seven months of the year, reflecting an alarming increase in armed violence in the country. Reports from social organizations and security entities reveal that the upsurge in organized crime has severely impacted the child and adolescent population, concentrating a worrying number of violent deaths in different regions of the nation.

Most of the victims were counted in urban sectors classified as high-risk, where the actions of criminal gangs for territorial control triggers frequent shootings and attacks. Human rights defenders reported that a high percentage of these children and young people perished as a result of stray bullets, attacks directed against their family environments or forced recruitment by armed groups, evidencing the vulnerability of the affected communities.

Faced with the seriousness of the data, social groups and child protection agencies urged national authorities to articulate urgent and effective contingency plans to safeguard children.

The requests include the reinforcement of police and preventive presence in popular areas, the development of social care programs in vulnerable areas and the cessation of impunity through expeditious judicial investigations.

This worrying balance places Ecuador in one of the most complex stages in terms of citizen security in its recent history, exceeding the rates recorded in previous periods. The constant deterioration of the climate of collective peace keeps families in distress, while the State faces the challenge of containing structures of violence and ensuring the comprehensive protection of the population.

Mazo News Team