Ecuador journalist killed in gang violence, underscoring drug-war deterioration

Journalist Tomás Beltrán was shot dead in Calceta, Manabí, a coastal province that has become a flashpoint in gang warfare over drug trafficking routes. The killing highlights Ecuador's transformation from one of Latin America's safest countries to one of its most violent, with attacks on press signaling escalating criminal control. The incident is part of an ongoing pattern of violence, with the specific perpetrators and motive not yet confirmed.

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