Manta Records Its 66th Murder of 2026 — Third Massacre in Manabí in Just Six Weeks

The numbers tell a grim story about life on Ecuador's central coast.

Friday's Killing

In the early hours of Friday, February 13, sicarios (hitmen) shot and killed a 40-year-old man in the Ceibo Renacer sector of Manta, according to El Diario, Manabí's main newspaper.

The victim became the 66th homicide in Manta's police district in 2026 — and the year is only 44 days old. That's a rate of 1.5 murders per day.

The Third Massacre

Separately, a massacre in the town of Santa Ana (approximately 40 minutes inland from Manta) was confirmed as the third mass-violence event in Manabí province since January 1, 2026.

The details of the Santa Ana massacre have not been fully reported, but the pattern is consistent with organized crime territorial disputes — the same dynamic driving violence across Ecuador's coastal provinces.

The Bigger Picture

Manabí province — home to Manta, Portoviejo, and the popular beach towns of Canoa, San Clemente, and Crucita — has become one of Ecuador's most dangerous regions. The violence is overwhelmingly linked to narcotrafficking organizations fighting for control of drug transit routes along the coast.

Ecuador was recently ranked among the world's 10 most violent countries by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), with 71% of the population exposed to organized crime violence. The country recorded over 9,000 violent deaths in 2025 — a historic high.

The government has deployed a $230 million security plan for 2026, but ACLED warns that violence will likely continue unless criminal organizations reach a territorial equilibrium or the government establishes permanent presence in affected communities.

What This Means for Expats

• Coastal awareness: If you live in or visit Manta, understand that the security situation is fundamentally different from highland cities like Cuenca or Quito. The violence is largely targeted — criminal-on-criminal — but bystander risk exists
• Travel planning: Beach towns in Manabí remain popular with domestic and international tourists. Stick to well-traveled areas, avoid being out late at night, and don't flash valuables
• Carnival weekend: With nearly 47,000 police deployed for Carnival (February 13-18), security at tourist beaches will be enhanced. But the underlying problem doesn't take holidays
• Insurance: If you don't have international health insurance with emergency evacuation coverage, consider it — especially if you live on the coast
• Perspective: The violence in Manta is concentrated in specific sectors linked to drug trafficking. Most expats living in coastal Ecuador are not directly targeted. But situational awareness is essential

Sources: El Diario, Infobae, ACLED