Ecuador Bridge Explosions Retaliation for Illegal Mining Crackdown

Two bridges in Ecuador were targeted with explosive devices early Wednesday, in what authorities say was retaliation for a recent military crackdown on illegal mining. No injuries were reported, and investigations are ongoing.

Interior Minister John Reimberg told reporters that the criminal group Los Lobos, recently designated a terrorist organization by the United States, is suspected of carrying out the attacks. “The line we are pursuing is one of retaliation for what we have been doing in Imbabura, in terms of controlling the strike and cracking down on illegal mining,” Reimberg said at a briefing in Otavalo, in northern Ecuador.

Infrastructure Minister Roberto Luque suggested the attacks were designed to disrupt traffic rather than cause casualties. One explosion damaged a bridge base in Guayas province, while another device partially detonated in Azuay province.

The bridge attacks came just hours after a car bomb exploded outside a shopping mall in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, late Tuesday, killing one person and injuring several others. A second vehicle containing explosives was found nearby and safely deactivated.

Military Crackdown on Illegal Mining

Ecuador’s military and air force recently destroyed multiple illegal mine entrances, claiming these sites were controlled by organized crime groups seeking to protect their profits. Seven individuals were arrested during the operation, some of whom reportedly had links to a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The government says the strikes against illegal mining are part of a broader effort to enforce law and order, including preventing state-subsidized diesel from being diverted to criminal operations.

Diesel Subsidy Protests and Indigenous Response

Meanwhile, indigenous communities in Otavalo, Imbabura province, announced they were withdrawing from their protests over diesel subsidies after reaching an agreement with the government to begin technical discussions. These protests had been ongoing since late September, following President Daniel Noboa’s decision to end diesel subsidies.

Local leaders reported one death in a hospital from clashes with security forces on Tuesday, and another protester had died during demonstrations last month. Indigenous groups also reported at least 50 injuries, while the government confirmed that 13 military officers were hurt during the clashes.

President Noboa, speaking in Guayaquil on Wednesday, warned that criminal groups are trying to destabilize the government and block efforts to meet Ecuadorians’ needs. His convoy was previously attacked last week in a rural town, with rocks thrown at his vehicle.

The recent attacks on bridges and the ongoing tensions with indigenous communities underscore the challenges Ecuador faces in balancing security, economic interests, and social demands, while combating organized crime.