Overview
- Judge Lady Gissela Pachar, who was shot in her car Monday in Machala, died after gunmen on motorcycles opened fire as she drove to a gym.
- Police said she had reported threats and was under an official protection program, yet her assigned escort was not with her, a lapse now under investigation.
- Investigators launched citywide operations, pulled security video to trace routes, and recovered two burned vehicles near the scene, with no arrests announced.
- Police sources told AFP the killing may be retaliation tied to prior court decisions that included releasing members of a criminal group, a motive authorities have not confirmed.
- Ecuador’s Judicial Council condemned the attack as a strike on the rule of law as El Oro faces drug‑fueled violence despite curfews and military patrols, heightening daily risks for court officials who move through contested areas.