• Ecuadorian footballer Mario Pineida was shot dead at 33 years old.
• The attack occurred in Guayaquil, a city notorious for gang violence.
• Over 9,000 homicides are expected in Ecuador this year amid escalating crime.
• Pineida represented Ecuador in international matches, including World Cup qualifiers.
• The Ecuadorian Football Federation condemned the violence following his death.

Former Ecuadorian footballer Mario Pineida, 33, was fatally shot in Guayaquil in an incident involving gang violence, highlighting the escalating crime crisis in Ecuador. Local media reported that he was attacked by two assailants on motorcycles while with his mother and another woman. The region has seen a distressing rise in shootings and homicides, driven largely by gang activities linked to drug trafficking, which has made Guayaquil one of the most dangerous cities in the country, according to BBC.

Pineida had previously played for Ecuador's national team, participating in World Cup qualifiers and the 2021 Copa América. He started his club career at Independiente del Valle before moving to Barcelona SC, where he won two league titles, and had a brief stint with Brazil's Fluminense. His death has drawn attention to the wave of violence affecting footballers in Ecuador; earlier incidents included the deaths of other players from gunshots and the injury of a player during training, as highlighted by Al Jazeera and CBS News.

The Ecuadorian government's struggle to contain criminal violence is evident as the country faces its most violent year on record, with estimates of over 9,000 homicides expected. President Daniel Noboa has pledged to combat criminal organizations connected to international drug cartels. The interior ministry's deployment of troops and law enforcement efforts have not significantly reduced crime rates, as gang-related shootings and deaths continue to increase, according to BBC, Al Jazeera, and CBS News.