According to the 2025 ranking of the most violent cities in the world, Ecuador has six cities listed among the top ten, with Babahoyo taking the second position globally.
The report by the Comisión Mexicana de Derechos Humanos has revealed that Puerto Príncipe, Haiti, is deemed the most violent city for the second consecutive year, with a staggering homicide rate of 197.43 per 100,000 inhabitants. This ranking evaluates cities with populations exceeding 300,000 and highlights the severe safety challenges faced in many urban areas around the world.
Ecuador is notably impacted, with six of its cities appearing in the top ten most violent cities globally. Babahoyo ranks second, with Machala, Quevedo, Manabí, Guayaquil, and Esmeraldas occupying other slots in the top rankings. This alarming statistic reflects not only the country's ongoing struggles with crime and violence but also underscores the pressing need for effective security and social interventions to address these issues at local levels.
As these cities grapple with high violence rates, the implications for community safety, economic stability, and public health are significant. With violence posing threats to the everyday lives of residents, local governments will need to prioritize strategies to improve safety and restore peace, and international attention may be required to gather support in tackling the deep-rooted factors contributing to such high homicide rates.
