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Ecuador reports 27.7% drop in homicides in May
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

Ecuador reports 27.7% drop in homicides in May

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • Ecuador reported a 27.7% decrease in homicides in May compared to 2025, with 676 murders versus 935.
  • The government also noted significant reductions in robberies, including a 43% drop in personal theft and a 54% decrease in vehicle theft.
  • President Daniel Noboa highlighted the crime reduction, stating the country is being "recovered" and vowing to continue fighting criminal organizations.

Ecuador's government announced a significant drop in homicides for May, reporting 676 murders compared to 935 in the previous year. This 27.7% reduction marks a positive trend amid ongoing efforts to combat unprecedented violence.

The crackdown appears to be yielding results across various crime categories. The Interior Ministry detailed substantial decreases in robberies, with personal theft down 43% and motorcycle theft seeing a similar percentage drop. Vehicle theft and related crimes also fell by 54%, while home and business burglaries decreased by 35% and 46% respectively. Roadside robberies saw the steepest decline at 56%.

Authorities also reported an increase in arrests of high-value targets, apprehending two such individuals in May compared to just one the previous year. Intermediate-value targets saw a dramatic rise in arrests, from 10 to 100.

President Daniel Noboa celebrated the declining crime rates in a social media video, asserting that Ecuador is "recovering." He vowed to persist in his fight against criminal organizations, stating, "We will continue to fight. To the mafias: you will get tired before I do."

Ecuador has been under a state of "internal armed conflict" since 2024, a declaration by Noboa aimed at dismantling criminal groups labeled as "terrorists." Despite these measures, 2025 saw a record 9,281 homicides, exceeding 50 per 100,000 inhabitants.

We will continue to fight. To the mafias: you will get tired before I do.

— Daniel NoboaPresident Noboa's statement on social media highlighting the decrease in crime and vowing to continue combating criminal organizations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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