Echoes of Violence: Ecuador Mourns Slain Guayaquil Cameraman

November 26, 2025 – Ecuador – 

The city of Guayaquil was shaken on the morning of November 26, 2025, by the killing of Darwin Fernando Baque, a cameraman-turned-digital reporter and administrator of the news page Guayaquil al Rojo Vivo. According to police reports, Baque, 38, was fatally shot in the south-side neighbourhood of Florida 1 (Guasmo Sur) at approximately 00:30, after leaving a family gathering. Witnesses say two unidentified assailants approached Baque on a motorcycle and opened fire, inflicting multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators later recovered at least 12 spent 9 mm shell casings at the crime scene.

Baque had for years worked as a cameraman alongside prominent Guayaquil journalist José Delgado, including during their time at a national television outlet. More recently, he built and managed Guayaquil al Rojo Vivo, a platform covering security incidents, emergencies, and local news — often spotlighting crime and violence in Guayaquil. The portal’s editors released a statement condemning the murder while pledging to keep the page operating in his honour.

Colleagues and press-freedom watchdogs expressed shock and sorrow. Delgado described his former collaborator as a dedicated, hardworking professional with a passion for journalism. He said the news of Baque’s death struck him “in the middle of the morning,” calling the loss “very painful.”

At this stage, no arrests have been made. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities examining security-camera footage and gathering witness testimonies. Police have not publicly disclosed any leads pointing to a motive, and it remains unclear whether the killing relates to Baque’s journalistic activity or to the violent environment that plagues parts of southern Guayaquil.

The murder underscores a growing climate of danger for media professionals in Ecuador’s most populous city — especially those covering crime and social unrest. Press-freedom organisations, including Fundamedios, condemned the act, warning that such violence threatens not only individual reporters, but the broader public’s right to information. The loss of Baque, a veteran photo-reporter and community-news chronicler, is being mourned as a blow against independent journalism in Guayaquil.

With the investigation still underway and no suspect detained, colleagues and civil society advocates call for swift justice — hoping that Baque’s death will not go unpunished. The fate of Guayaquil al Rojo Vivo hangs in the balance, but even as grief endures, its team vows to continue coverage in tribute to the man who built it.

Reference –

Asesinan al camarógrafo Darwin Baque, excompañero de José Delgado, en Guayaquil

Gunmen kill journalist who ran Ecuador news page