The murder of Olympic sprinter Alex Quiñonez has shocked Ecuador on Saturday, where a state of exception is in force to curb the growing levels of crime and drug trafficking. The death of the athlete in Guayaquil, the most violent city in the country, was confirmed by the Guayas Sports Federation.
‘My heart is totally shattered, I cannot find words to describe how empty I feel. I cannot believe it. How long can we continue living in so much evil and insecurity? Rest in peace dear Alex, I will miss you all my life,’ the president of the institution, Roberto Ibañez said.
Quiñonez, considered the best sprinter in the country, was shot to death around midnight on Friday.
‘Today we lost a great athlete, a person who made us dream, who made us feel,’ the Ministry of Sports said in a statement.
He was part of the Ecuadorian delegation that competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but an administrative sanction he appealed until the last moment prevented him from participating.
The murder occurred amid control and security operations carried out by the National Police and the Armed Forces.