Ecuador is once again reeling from a brutal wave of violence. Seven people were killed late Saturday night after masked gunmen stormed a pool hall in the nightlife district of Santo Domingo, about 150 km west of Quito.

Security footage circulating online (not yet verified) shows attackers in black masks opening fire at the entrance before heading inside and shooting indiscriminately. Police say they’re investigating and hunting for those responsible, with early reports pointing to organized crime.

Sadly, this isn’t an isolated case. Just last month, nine people were killed in a pool hall shooting in General Villamil Playas. In April, 12 died at a cockfighting ring outside Santo Domingo. These attacks are part of a disturbing trend: Ecuador, once one of the region’s safer countries, has become one of its most violent.

The numbers tell the story—Ecuador’s homicide rate jumped from 6 per 100,000 in 2018 to 38 per 100,000 in 2024. Between January and May alone, there were over 4,000 murders, the bloodiest start to a year in the nation’s recent history.

Analysts say gangs are battling for control of lucrative drug routes, using Ecuador’s ports to ship cocaine to the U.S. and Europe. The country’s dollarized economy and corruption within institutions only make it easier. Despite President Daniel Noboa’s repeated states of emergency and mass security operations, the violence hasn’t slowed.

With 73% of the world’s cocaine passing through Ecuador and record drug seizures topping 294 tons in 2024, the fight against organized crime looks far from over.