Ecuador Prosecutor Investigating Boat Attack Allegations Is Fatally Shot

Published Jul 30, 2026, 3:00 AM EDT

Ecuadorian prosecutor Alexandra Bravo was killed after investigating organized crime, missing fishermen and alleged U.S. boat attacks.

An Ecuadorian prosecutor investigating alleged attacks on civilian fishing boats, disappearances and mistreatment, potentially involving U.S. personnel, was shot to death alongside her sister while leaving a café in Manta on June 14. Gloria Alexandra Bravo Cedeño’s killing has intensified questions about the security of Ecuador’s justice system and the future of an investigation that reportedly encountered institutional resistance before producing any public charges or findings.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a joint news conference with Ecuador's Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld at the Palacio de Carondelet, in Quito, Ecuador, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

A Veteran Prosecutor with a Dangerous Caseload