Agustín Intriago, serving as the Mayor of Manta, a city in the province of Manabí, Ecuador, tragically lost his life following an attack, as reported by Ecuador’s Interior Minister, Juan Zapata.
Minister Zapata expressed his condolences to Intriago’s family and friends via Twitter, further revealing the National Police’s active pursuit of the assailants.
Details from the Interior Ministry indicated one additional fatality and four injuries from this incident, with two of the injured suspected as perpetrators, currently under police watch in a hospital.
According to the ministry, the determination to capture all individuals involved in this violent act and ensure justice is served remains strong.
Ecuador’s President, Guillermo Lasso, has ordered the deployment of additional resources to expedite the pursuit of the individuals responsible for this crime.
Local sources reported that Intriago, aged 38, was engaged in a neighborhood event when he was attacked.
Intriago’s political journey saw him serving as Manta city councilman from 2009 to 2014, and he became mayor in 2019.
The local Better City movement facilitated his reelection in 2023.
This incident has intensified the prevailing national concern over the increasing violence in Ecuador, which claimed over 4,500 lives in 2022, setting a record high.
The country has registered 3,568 homicides from January 1 to July 2, 2023, marking a 75% rise compared to the same timeframe last year.