Melany Brigitte García Farías (27 January 1997 – 23 March 2024) was an Ecuadorian politician, nurse, and social worker who served as mayor of San Vicente from May 2023 until her assassination.[2][3][4] She was a member of the left-wing Citizen Revolution Party.[5]
On 23 March 2024, García was shot and killed, along with an aide.[4] At the time of her death, she was the youngest mayor in Ecuador at 27 years old.[4][6]
Biography
Melany Brigitte García Farías was born on 27 January 1997 in Canoa. She was an educated nurse.[2] At the age of 15, García worked for a health services company.[7] She ran for mayor of San Vicente, at the age of 26, in February 2023, as a member of the left-wing Citizen Revolution Party.[8] She was elected with 4,943 votes (37.48%)[9] in a field of 8 candidates,[7] taking office in May 2023.[10]
Tenure
García focused on improving the quality of drinking water, installing sewers, and boosting local tourism through beaches.[7][9][11] She also indicated that she planned to develop agriculture and the fishing industry in the region.[9]
Death
During the late evening of 23 March 2024, García was gunned down alongside her director of communications, Jairo Loor Meza, in a vehicle. She was 27.[4][9] During the evening of 23 March, her family raised concerns as to her whereabouts.[12] The bodies were found on 24 March at 1 am.[11]
According to an autopsy they were killed on 23 March at around 11 pm, and according to police sources, they were shot from the backseat of a car in the neck and head.[citation needed] Jairo Loor Meza was shot first.[citation needed] They were both found to have had been shot multiple times.[citation needed]
Local media indicate that previously there had been no indications of threats and that the mayor did not have any police protection.[11] The killing followed on other violence against political figures in the area and the country.[6]
