Ecuadoran Judge Fatally Shot in Machala During State of Emergency

An Ecuadoran judge was fatally shot during a state of emergency that had been declared to combat organized crime, Ecuador's judicial oversight body said. The body called the killing of Lady Pachar a serious attack against justice and the rule of law in Ecuador in a statement released Monday. Pachar was shot that day while traveling by car to a gym in the southwestern city of Machala.

Her two bodyguards were not with her when the incident took place, according to police in Machala, which is the capital of El Oro province bordering Peru. A police source told AFP on Tuesday that the judge had received threats and was killed in retaliation for the release of gang members. Police officers worked at the crime scene of the judge's murder in Machala on May 11, 2026.

"The judiciary cannot carry out its work under intimidation or violence," Ecuador's Judicial Council said in a statement. At least 16 judges or prosecutors have been killed in Ecuador since 2022, according to Human Rights Watch.

The country has faced increasing violence linked to organized crime in recent years. President Daniel Noboa has prioritized targeting cocaine traffickers since taking office in 2023. Officials have deployed soldiers on the streets and in prisons, launched raids on drug strongholds, and declared frequent states of emergency.

Homicides in the country reached a record 9,216 violent deaths last year. U.S. forces have joined Ecuadorian troops in joint missions against suspected criminal organizations along the coast, including an operation focused on a compound linked to maritime drug trafficking routes.

American commandos worked in advisory roles during the mission, assisting Ecuadorian counterparts as part of efforts to curb trafficking networks that rely on fast-moving boats.