Overview

• A British man, accused of a fatal shooting, was lynched and set on fire by a mob in Playas del Cuyabeno on April 20, shortly after being detained by police.
• The remote Amazonian village, accessible only by river, delayed the arrival of specialist police units, leaving local officers unable to intervene due to safety concerns.
• The mob stormed the police station, forcibly removed the man, and killed him in an act described as 'community justice' by local media.
• Ecuadorian prosecutors have opened a homicide investigation into the lynching, while also scrutinizing police conduct and response delays.
• The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is collaborating with Ecuadorian authorities to confirm the victim's nationality and push for accountability.