The Ecuadorian police have reported that Mario Pineida33-year-old defenseman Barcelona from Guayaquil, was shot dead in an apparent attack, amid the escalation of violence in the Andean country. Another person, whose identity was not revealed by police, also died in the incident and a third was injured. Ecuador’s Interior Ministry confirmed Pineida’s death without providing details.
Barcelona de Guayaquil declared in a statement that its fans mourn the death of Pineida, who began his professional career at Independiente del Valle, where he played from 2010 to 2015. He later signed for the club from the coastal city of Guayaquil in 2016, where he won two league titles. The defender also played briefly for Brazilian side Fluminense in 2022.
The Ecuadorian police cordoned off the area where Mario Pineida was murdered
Ecuadorian media report that the incident occurred in the Samanes region, north of Guayaquil, 265 kilometers (165 miles) southwest of the capital, Quito. Ecuador is expected to have its most violent year on record, with more than 9,000 homicides, according to the Ecuadorian Organized Crime Observatory. That figure was 7,063 violent deaths last year and a record 8,248 in 2023. President Daniel Noboa has pledged to combat criminal organizations that have expanded.
