Ecuadorian Reporter Álex Fernando Álvarez Vera Fatally Shot; RSF Demands Full Probe

October 28, 2025 – Ecuador –

The Paris-based advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the killing of community journalist Álex Fernando Álvarez Vera, 28, who was shot dead while playing football with friends in Salitre, a canton in Ecuador’s Guayas Province, on October 28. The incident occurred at a municipal sports ground when an assailant reportedly approached him near the goal area, fired a shot, and fled the scene.

Alvarez Vera served as the administrator of a local Facebook news page and was recognised for his community-level reporting on regional issues. RSF’s statement underlines that his execution appears to reflect the extreme risks faced by media professionals operating outside mainstream news structures in regions marked by high levels of violence and weak oversight.

In its call to action, RSF urged Ecuadorian authorities to carry out “a thorough, independent and transparent investigation” into Alvarez Vera’s murder, emphasising that any delay or lack of rigorous inquiry would fuel impunity and further endanger journalists in the country. The organisation highlighted that the failure to identify not only the shooter but also the instigators or motives will weaken broader efforts to protect press freedom in Ecuador.

The case comes amid mounting concerns about attacks on journalists across Latin America, where community reporters and independent voices often operate in hotspots of criminal influence, corruption, and state weakness. RSF’s intervention signals that without proper investigative follow-through, targeted killings will continue to cast a chilling effect on local journalism and silence civic-minded coverage of hard-to-reach areas.

RSF called on Ecuador’s government to guarantee the safety of journalists in high-risk zones, strengthen protective mechanisms, and ensure that perpetrators—both material and intellectual—are held accountable. The death of Álex Fernardo Álvarez Vera underscores that even seemingly peripheral news outlets remain deeply vulnerable in environments where criminal networks, local power dynamics, and weak legal frameworks intersect.

Reference – 

https://rsf.org/en/ecuador-rsf-condemns-murder-journalist-%C3%A1lex-fernando-%C3%A1lvarez-vera-calls-rigorous-independent