The Fort Worth Press - Ecuadorean footballer Mario Pineida shot and killed

Guayaquil has become a hotspot for gang violence linked to drug trafficking and several football players in Ecuador have been targeted in recent months.

Pineida, 33, was part of Ecuador's national team during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup games. He also played for Fluminense in 2022.

In a post on X, his club, Barcelona SC, said it "regrets to inform, with deep sorrow, that it has been officially notified of the death of our player Mario Pineida, an event that occurred following an attack against him" in Guayaquil.

Pineida's death was confirmed by the Interior Ministry, which said it has assigned a special police unit to the case.

Digital news outlet Primicias reported Pineida was attacked by two people riding motorcycles, who opened fire on him, his mother and another woman.

In September, three players from Ecuador's second division were killed, with one of them allegedly being linked to sports betting. A month later, local footballer Bryan Angula was wounded in a shooting.

Ecuador, once one of Latin America's safest countries, has become a key cocaine transit hub between top producers Colombia and Peru, and consumers around the world.

Car bombings, shootings and extortion have been on the rise in Guayaquil, which recorded 1,900 murders between January and September -- the highest toll in Ecuador.

C.Dean--TFWP