People who witnessed the violent attack experienced physical and psychological impairments
Originally published on Global Voices
Screenshot from a video announcing the victims of the violent assault on the Ecuadorian-Iranian Cultural Center on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Fair use.
Operation Epic Fury, which the United States and Israel executed on the Islamic Republic of Iran in the early hours of February 28, 2026, left hundreds dead, including leading figures in the Islamic regime and women and children.
Although this military assault occurred some 13,270 km from Ecuador, in Quito, the country’s capital, supporters of Israel’s and the United States’ leaders raided the Ecuadorian–Iranian Cultural Center, in the north of the city. They used sticks and pepper spray whilst shouting insults and threats.
According to viral social media images, a group of people arrived outside the center in a caravan of cars at around 7:30 pm local time (GMT-5). The group, some of whom had sticks, were shouting at and threatening those inside, damaging property, causing panic and leaving two injured.
En este video se observa a niños y mujeres siendo acosados mientras rezaban dentro del Centro Cultural Iraní, en Quito. Esta es la consecuencia directa de discursos oficiales sesgados y deshumanizantes que convierten la política exterior en gasolina para el odio. Cuando desde la… https://t.co/7aQ3er7Y1x pic.twitter.com/gKsGRir8fr
— Elena Rodríguez Yánez (@ElenaDeQuito) March 1, 2026
This video reports how women and children were assaulted while praying in the Ecuadorian–Iranian Cultural Center in Quito. This is a direct consequence of the biased and dehumanizing narratives that turn foreign policy into fuel for hatred. When the Foreign Office takes a stance siding with Israel, the United States, and their international terrorism, it also legitimizes violence at home. https://t.co/7aQ3er7Y1x pic.twitter.com/gKsGRir8fr
— Elena Rodríguez Yánez (@ElenaDeQuito) March 1, 2026
Women, children, and older adults who were praying during Ramadan, were among the 35 people inside the property. At a press conference on March 3, 2026, Jhadiya Nuñez, a member of the center's board, trembled as she described what she had experienced that weekend. She explained how she will never forget the fear she felt as the violence intensified that week. She also appreciated the solidarity shown on social media by Ecuador’s social organizations, citizens, and mass media.
Following their violent raid, the aggressors threw the flag of the State of Israel into the cultural center as a symbolic message: a chessboard of war that transcends distance and borders. Far from being an isolated incident, the attack in Quito was an act of hatred facilitated by proximity. Unable to reach Iranian territory, violence broke out on the other side of the world.
This incident is a reminder that in the 21st century, wars no longer have defined frontlines. Battlefields can be anywhere those in power decide that a neighbor, due to their faith, ethnicity, or background, is an enemy.
Ecuador’s relationship with Israel
Ecuador’s foreign policy doesn’t stop at abstract statements. In February 2026, the Foreign Office announced its agenda to strengthen relations with Israel. An official visit from Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar soon followed; his bilateral meeting with President Daniel Noboa resulted in the signing of a framework agreement to initiate negotiations on a future trade agreement and a security cooperation agreement between the Ministry of the Interior in both countries.
This same alliance approach is reflected in President Noboa’s relationship with the U.S. government. He attended the Shield of the Americas Summit in Miami on March 7, 2026, which President Trump convened. The Ecuadorian Foreign Office framed this summit as a meeting of allied nations with shared principles that identify common threats to the Americas.
At the same time, amidst escalating tensions after the United States’ and Israel’s attacks on Iran, Ecuador’s Foreign Office released a statement expressing concern for the deteriorating security situation in the “Middle East.” It also condemned Iran’s offensive response against the region’s countries, recommending that Ecuadorians avoid travelling to this area and reaffirming its commitment to combating terrorism.
When an external conflict violently enters a Cultural Center in Quito, the problem is no longer West Asia, but the rule of law. If foreign policy determines alliances, this approach, either by action or inaction, must not result in the social tolerance of faith, background, or identity-based harassment, which undermines democratic coexistence and turns civilians into military targets.
