Full Breakdown
Targeted Killing of Los Águilas Leader at Guayaquil Airport
6/19/2026, 2:20:30 AM
The Airport Attack
On June 17, 39-year-old Carlos Alberto Suástegui Villanueva, identified as the leader of Los Águilas, was shot as he exited the arrivals hall of José Joaquín de Olmedo airport in Guayaquil. Two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, waited with stuffed toys and flowers; one hid a gun behind a teddy bear and fired, while a second gunman fired a follow-up shot. Police seized two firearms, detained the youths, and shut the terminal for more than two hours. One bystander was reported injured, though some reports cite two wounded.
Background: Gang Violence, Terrorist Designation, and State of Emergency
Los Águilas, a faction of the Los Choneros network, was labeled a “terrorist organisation” by President Daniel Noboa in 2024. The group is involved in drug trafficking and extortion, exploiting Ecuador’s position between Colombia and Peru. Since early 2024 the government has issued state-of-emergency decrees that allow security forces to search homes without a warrant when reasonable grounds exist. Nonetheless, the homicide rate rose to a record 9,281 murders in 2025, a rate above 50 per 100,000 inhabitants. The surge in homicides has placed Ecuador among the Western Hemisphere’s most violent nations.
Timeline
June 16 – President Noboa declared a fresh state of emergency covering ten provinces, including Guayas. June 17, ~18:00 – Suástegui was shot and the arrivals hall was shut. Later that night – police arrested the two teenagers and forensic work began; flights resumed after two hours.
Official Statements
Interior Minister John Reimberg said the victim “was a high-risk, priority criminal target.” He added that the emergency “gives security forces extra powers, such as the ability to search homes without a warrant when reasonable grounds exist.” President Noboa’s decree extended those powers to ten provinces and three municipalities.
Criticism
Despite the emergency measures, the homicide count still rose to a historic high in 2025, indicating that the expanded security powers have not curbed the surge in violence.
Conflicting Reports
Sources differ on the number of injured: some cite a single bystander, others report two victims. Descriptions also vary, with some outlets calling the incident a “heavy shootout” and others noting “several people shot.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Carlos Alberto Suástegui Villanueva (deceased) was a 39-year-old Ecuadorian national and leader of "Los Águilas" in the El Triunfo region, and was considered a high-risk, priority criminal target," he said.” — John Reimberg, Interior Minister
- “heavy shootout” — Manchester Evening News
- “several people shot” — Manchester Evening News
- “terrorist organisation” — designation by President Daniel Noboa
What’s Next
Authorities say they will keep the state of emergency in place and continue investigations into the airport killing. Further arrests of gang members are expected as security forces maintain heightened patrols in Guayaquil and other high-risk zones.