Tragic End for Ecuador's Youngest Mayor and Advisor in Fatal Shooting

Ecuador's youngest mayor, Brigitte García, and her advisor were found shot to death in a vehicle amid a state of emergency, with police working to determine a motive for the shooting. The 27-year-old mayor of San Vicente was a member of the left-wing Citizen Revolution Party, and her death has been described as an assassination by a fellow party member. President Daniel Noboa had declared a "state of war" against gangs following violence and the escape of a gang leader, extending the state of emergency by 30 days to maintain order and reduce homicides. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Ecuador advised American citizens to exercise increased caution in the country.