Ecuador's 2025 Homicide Data: 9,216 Killed - A Province-by-Province Breakdown for Expats

Ecuador recorded 9,216 intentional homicides in 2025 - an average of 25 murders per day, or roughly one per hour. It was the country's deadliest year on record, up 32% from the 7,063 killed in 2024.

The national rate of 51 homicides per 100,000 residents now ranks Ecuador second in Latin America, behind only Haiti.

Where the Violence Is - and Isn't

The crisis is heavily concentrated on the coast. Here's what the data shows:

Highest Risk Areas:

• Guayas: 40% of all murders. Guayaquil alone: 2,322 killed
• Los Ríos: Highest rate in country: 130.4 per 100,000. Puebloviejo canton worst-affected
• Manabí: Manta (363 killed), Portoviejo (314 killed)
• El Oro: 708 deaths, up 38% from 2024. Machala: 347 killed
• Esmeraldas: Long-standing cartel presence

Safest Areas: The sierra (highlands) remains dramatically safer. Cuenca, Loja, Vilcabamba, Cotacachi, and Quito's residential areas see a fraction of the violence. The data shows 78% of all homicides concentrated in just three coastal planning zones.

Who's Affected

• 88% of murders involved firearms (primarily handguns)
• Young men aged 25-34 are the primary victims (3,240 killed)
• 583 children and adolescents were killed in 2025, up from 414 in 2024
• Causes: gang disputes, drug trafficking, illegal mining, territorial control

What Expats Should Do

1. Avoid: Guayaquil (especially at night), Esmeraldas province entirely, Los Ríos province, border areas
2. Exercise caution: Manta, Machala, coastal areas generally
3. Lower risk: Cuenca, Loja, Vilcabamba, Quito (north-central), Cotacachi, highland towns

The violence is real but geographically concentrated. Most expats in highland communities are not directly affected, though the national security situation has clearly deteriorated since 2018.

Stay informed. Follow local news. Know which areas to avoid. And don't travel to the coast without researching current conditions.

Sources: El Universo, Primicias, OECO