Ecuador has been shocked by the murder of Agustin Intriago, mayor of the port city of Manta. El Universe writes that 38-year-old Intriago was shot several times during the inspection of a construction project in the city. He later died in a hospital.
A suspect has now been arrested, but the police in the South American country continue to search for other possible perpetrators. Why the mayor became the target of an attack is unclear. A young woman was killed in the shooting and four bystanders were injured.
President Guillermo Lasso has on Twitter expresses his condolences to the relatives of Intriago. Former president Rafael Correa also says he is shocked. “I can’t believe this happened,” he wrote on Twitter.
Manta, a city of 200,000 inhabitants, is one of the most important cities for the Ecuadorian economy because of its port, from which many fishing fleets depart, fishing for tuna, among other things. Intriago was a member of a local party and was re-elected for a second term as mayor in February of this year.