Explosion at Guayaquil Shopping Centre kills one, injures several

October 15, 2025 / 11:34 AM

Sharjah24 - AFP: One person was killed and several others injured on Tuesday following an explosion at a busy shopping centre in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest port city. Local authorities said the cause of the blast remains under investigation as the nation continues to grapple with escalating violence linked to the Latin American drug trade.

Eyewitness reports of the explosion

According to police reports, the explosion happened in a middle-class district filled with restaurants, shops, and hotels, causing nearby businesses to shake and alarming residents. Eyewitness Samantha Vera, who was just metres from the scene, told AFP, “We ran away out of fear that something else might happen. We’re in shock.” Meanwhile, Claudia Quimi, owner of a nearby salon, described the “terrible… horrifying blast” that shook her shop’s glass windows.

Security crisis

Ecuador has increasingly become a key hub in the global cocaine trade, with criminal groups. Guayaquil, because of its strategic coastal location, has experienced a surge in violent crimes, including homicides, robberies, and extortion.

Just last month, an explosion outside a local prison occurred after a deadly riot in another facility that resulted in 13 inmates and a guard losing their lives. The latest incident highlights the increasing security crisis across the country.

Rising crime and instability

Authorities report that as of August 2025, Ecuador has recorded over 5,200 homicides, with nearly a third occurring in Guayaquil, which is home to 2.8 million people and serves as the country’s commercial centre. The government continues to face increasing pressure to reduce violence as the city endures rising instability driven by organised crime.