SAA event in Ecuador on Fri 13th March 2026

The National Police are investigating whether it was a targeted killing or an indiscriminate attack against public transportation. On March 13, 2026, heavily armed individuals intercepted a bus belonging to the Santa Martha Cooperative in the El Achiote area. The bus was traveling between El Triunfo and Bucay, Ecuador. According to witnesses, the attackers fired directly at the bus as it moved, triggering panic among the passengers. Five people died at the scene. The driver tried to stop the vehicle amidst the confusion, while other passengers remained in shock after the shooting. Forensic investigators and the National Police secured the scene, collected ballistic evidence, and removed the bodies. Authorities have not yet specified the number of wounded. According to the @PoliciaEcuador, the operations deployed in the area seek to identify those responsible and determine the motive, in a region where rates of armed violence have increased in recent months.