Journalist Tomás Beltrán shot dead in Ecuador amid rising gang violence

Tomás Beltrán, who ran a local news Facebook page in Calceta, was killed on Sunday night while parking his car. Although the motive remains unclear and police have provided few details, press freedom groups view his murder as another sign of deteriorating conditions for journalists in Ecuador. Ecuador has experienced a surge in violence linked to drug trafficking gangs fighting over Pacific coastline routes. Organisations like Reporters Without Borders and Fundación Periodistas Sin Cadenas report that journalists face severe threats, leading to widespread self-censorship and several reporters fleeing the country.