The director of the local digital media Ola Manta TV was on his way to cover a story when two assassins opened fire on him on the Manta-Montecristi road, some 400 kilometres from Quito, while he was in his car with his daughter, who fortunately escaped unharmed.

Gerardo Delgado, who was travelling to  cover an alleged suicide for which he had received a warning call hours earlier, was shot at least nine times. The National Police announced that two people had been arrested in connection with the incident. According to local media reports, one of those arrested said that he had been paid for the crime and that he did not know who had hired him and why they wanted the journalist dead.

Gerardo Delgado was well known and respected by local residents for his journalistic work. His reports on the needs and realities of the citizens of Manta had made him very popular, which is why a week ago he had announced his intentions to be a candidate for councillor, supported by the Citizen Revolution movement.