Mario Pineda, a 33-year-old Ecuadorian international defender, was fatally shot in Guayaquil, Ecuador's major port city, on Wednesday local time.
His former club, Barcelona SC de Guayaquil, confirmed the tragic news through official channels, stating that Pineda was killed in a shooting in Guayaquil at the age of 33. He earned 9 caps for the Ecuador national team and participated in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Pineda played for Brazilian club Fluminense in 2022. The club expressed its condolences on Twitter: “Fluminense Football Club is deeply saddened by the passing of Mario Pineda, who played for the club in 2022. Pineda joined the team at the start of that season and helped us win the Rio de Janeiro State Championship. Fluminense extends its sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.”
The Ecuadorian government has confirmed the incident, adding that a special police unit is handling the case. According to local Ecuadorian news reports, Pineda was shot by two men on motorcycles, who also injured the player's mother and another woman.
Long regarded as a peaceful haven in Latin America, Ecuador has witnessed a surge in violent incidents in recent years, with gangs linked to Mexican and Colombian drug cartels vying for control of drug trafficking routes. The port of Guayaquil, one of the key export points for cocaine from Colombia and neighboring Peru, has been particularly affected by cartel conflicts.
