Noboa moves joint command to Manta; Social media influencer killed in Manta; High UV warning issued; Indicted judge arrested at airport was headed to U.S.

Following the murders of an alternate National Assembly member and his wife Sunday, President Daniel Noboa ordered the Joint Command of the Armed Forces and the General Command of the National Police to relocate to Manta. In recent weeks, Manta and Manabí Province have become Ecuador’s “murder capital” according to the presidential press office.

A total of 154 murders have been committed in Manta, Portoviejo and Montecristi in 2024, the latest three occurring Monday night at a popular Manta restaurant.

Only hours after the government announced it was moving its joint law enforcement command center to Manta, three more murders were commited at a downtown restaurant.

According to Noboa, headquartering the joint command in Manta will put more police and soldiers on the streets of violent neighborhoods and increase surveillance of gang activity.

Earlier Monday, Interior Minister Mónica Palencia and National Security Minister Jean Carlo Lofredo said that despite high-profile killings in coastal provinces, Ecuador’s overall murder rate has dropped 22% through May compared to the same period of 2023.

“It is obvious that we have much more work to do, but it is important to understand that progress is being made,” Palencia said in a news conference.

Lofredo said “major gains have been achieved” with recent arrests of gang leaders. “We have made 35 arrests of Choneros, Tigerones and Anguilas gang members and many of these were leaders witrhin the organizations.”

The biggest news last week, Lofredo said, was the arrest in Panama of Julio Alberto Martinez, leader of the Chone Killers. He was extradited to Ecuador over the weekend.

Indicted Judge attempted to flee the country 
Guayaquil prosecutors say they will increase their requests for pre-trial imprisonment following Sunday’s arrest of an indicted judge attempting to leave the country. Judge José Daniel Poveda was taken into custody at the Guayaquil airport as he waited to board a flight to the New York.

Poveda was one of 24 people arrested in the Guayas Province courts corruption case, code-named Purge.

“The Poveda incident shows that all defendants in these cases are flight risks and require pre-trial detention,” said prosecutor Carlos Parra. “House arrest, GPS bracelets and personal recognizance are not sufficient. These people should remain in prison until their trials. Judge Poveda was holding a one-way ticket to New York City when he was apprehended.”

Based on charges against him, Poveda ruled favorably in several cases involving former National Assemblyman Pablo Muentes, the key suspect in the Purge Case. Prosecutors say he received payments from Muentes amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Even if Poveda had managed to the board the flight to the U.S., Parra says he would have been detained on arrival. “He was on the list of those previously arrested in Purge and would have been sent back to Guayaquil.”

Social media influencer killed in Manta
Social media influencer and alternate National Assemblyman Cristhian Nieto was murdered Sunday night during a circus performance in Manta. His wife, Nicole Burgos, also died in the attack.

Police say the murders were committed “from a distance with rifles” and two people sitting close to Neito and Burgos were wounded. A third victim who was not sitting near Neito, identified as 24-year-old Stephen Mendoza, also died in the shooting.  At least 15 shots were fired, according evidence collected at the scene.

Manabi Police Commander Fabary Montalvo believes Nieto was targeted because of his advocacy for those suffering from drug addiction. “In his media posts he supported those suffering from drug use and depression and was known to criticize drug dealers,” Montalvo said, adding that Nieto may have had ties to a criminal gang. He said the murderers remain at large.

Nieto, 34, was the alternate for Citizens Revolution National Assembly woman Mónica Salazar.

High UV warning issued
The National Meteorology Institute (Inamhi) has issued a warning of ”moderate to very high” levels of solar radiation for much of the country on Tuesday. It says Manabí, Santa Elena, Guayas and El Oro coastal provinces, and Pichincha and Loja provinces in the sierra are at highest risk.

Inamhi predicts increased cloud cover for the central sierra, including Azuay, Chimborazo and Cotopaxi Provinces. “This area will receive some relief from high UV levels following several days of intense sunshine,” the meteorology office said in a bulletin.