SAA event in Esmeraldas, San Lorenzo de Esmeraldas area, Ecuador on Sun 14th December 2025

On 14 December 2025, in San Lorenzo de Esmeraldas (Esmeraldas), Special Operations Group (GOE) officers clashed with a member of the Ivan Rios FARC dissident faction. Police had received a warning that members of the faction were outside the Public Prosecutor's Office in San Lorenzo and had detonated explosives in the Guayabal sector. No injuries were reported from the explosions. The police launched an operation, during which they attempted to arrest the guerrilla fighter. He resisted by opening fire, prompting a shootout, and was detained for illegal arms possession. Authorities seized two firearms, several cartridges, rifle magazines, a cellphone, and other items. Another man was also arrested; he had 600 rounds of ammunition and two motorcycles without proper documentation that were being used for criminal activities. There were no fatalities.