Sports
Ecuadorean Footballer Mario Pineida Shot Dead in Guayaquil
Ecuadorean footballer Mario Pineida has been shot and killed in the port city of Guayaquil, his club confirmed on Wednesday, in the latest incident linked to rising gang violence in the country.
Guayaquil has emerged as a hotspot for criminal activity tied to drug trafficking, with several footballers targeted in recent months amid escalating insecurity.
Pineida, 33, was a former member of Ecuador’s national team and featured in the country’s squads during the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments. He also played for Brazilian club Fluminense in 2022.
Confirming the incident in a post on X, his club Barcelona SC said it “regrets to inform, with deep sorrow, that it has been officially notified of the death of our player Mario Pineida, an event that occurred following an attack against him” in Guayaquil.
The Interior Ministry also confirmed Pineida’s death, stating that a special police unit has been assigned to investigate the case.
According to a report by digital news outlet Primicias, Pineida was attacked by two assailants riding motorcycles, who allegedly opened fire on him, his mother, and another woman.
The killing adds to a troubling pattern of violence against footballers in Ecuador. In September, three players from the country’s second division were murdered, with one reportedly linked to sports betting activities. In October, local footballer Bryan Angula was injured in a separate shooting incident.
Ecuador, once regarded as one of Latin America’s safest countries, has increasingly become a key transit hub for cocaine trafficking between major producers Colombia and Peru and consumer markets worldwide.
Authorities say the surge in organised crime has fuelled car bombings, shootings, and widespread extortion, particularly in Guayaquil, which recorded 1,900 murders between January and September the highest figure nationwide.
