He was César Augusto Quillupangui, a transport leader who traveled the roads of Ecuador and Colombia, and one of the victims on the Pan-American Highway.

ExplainerThe general manager of the Cooperativa de Transportes Panamericana Internacional, César Augusto Quillupangui Tipán. Photo: Personal archive, social mediaJOURNALIST16.10.2026 11:06 Updated: 16.10.2026 11:26 The systematic violence plaguing the department of Cauca tragically cut short the life of one of the most respected leaders in land transportation in the neighboring country of Ecuador. César Augusto Quillupangui Tipán, 69 years old, died on October 14 in the Las Piedras sector, municipality of Timbío, following an armed attack on the double-decker bus of the Ecuadorian company Panamericana Internacional. The general manager of Panamericana Internacional, César Augusto Quillupangui Tipán. Photo:Personal archive, social mediaQuillupangui was not an ordinary passenger on that fateful route linking Paraguachón (Colombia) with Tumbes (Peru); he was the leader of the company, a man who, as general manager, did not stay in his office, but was accustomed to traveling the routes to personally supervise the operations of a company he considered his home. His death, which occurred amid a burst of rifle fire from four criminals attempting to carry out a mass robbery, leaves an irreparable void in the Andean transportation sector, according to the expressions of condolence issued by his loved ones on social media. The general manager of Panamericana Internacional, César Augusto Quillupangui Tipán. Photo:Personal archive, social mediaA life on wheels: The builder of Panamericana InternacionalBorn in the heart of Ecuador, César Augusto Quillupangui tied his destiny to the development of the Cooperativa de Transportes Panamericana Internacional, an emblematic institution founded in 1950 in the city of Quito and which currently boasts 76 years of history. Under his leadership, according to the company itself, the cooperative expanded its horizons, operating not only main offices in the land terminals of Quito and Guayaquil and connecting Ecuadorian provinces, but also consolidating extensive transnational corridors, such as Colombia, crossing the entire national territory from end to end. Quillupangui firmly believed in regional integration through the highways, his loved ones said. He was one of the main driving forces behind the long-distance routes that crossed the borders of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, serving as a bridge for thousands of families, tourists and migrant communities seeking safe and affordable transportation across the continent. His management was marked by the modernization of the bus fleet and a commitment to maintaining international connectivity in the face of the region's constant geographic and public order challenges. The general manager of Panamericana Internacional, César Augusto Quillupangui Tipán. Photo:Personal archive, social mediaThe tragic outcome on the Pan-American HighwayThe attack occurred at around 11:40 at night, when four armed men intercepted the bus to carry out a robbery, according to the acting secretary of Government of Cauca, Diana Murillo. While trying to evade the attack to protect the passengers, the driver lost control and the vehicle overturned into a ditch by the Las Piedras river. The departmental secretary of Health, Carolina Camargo, confirmed a toll of 64 people treated and five dead —including Quillupangui and an 11-year-old minor— which overwhelmed the hospital network of Popayán. The bus was left overturned after the armed attack. Photo:Personal archive, social mediaActivation of insurance policies, repatriation efforts for victims, such as the transportation company's manager, and his burialAfter the general manager's death was confirmed, the president of the Cooperativa Panamericana Internacional, Wilson Illanes, officially reported that the company immediately activated its international assistance policies. These coverages are designed to finance the comprehensive medical care of the 64 passengers hospitalized in the Cauca network, as well as to cover all the legal and logistical costs required in the face of a cross-border tragedy. The death occurred in Colombian territory, so the corporate delegation, together with the Government of Cauca, maintains a direct diplomatic channel with the Foreign Ministry and the Consulate of Ecuador in Colombia. The bus was left overturned after the armed attack. Photo:Personal archive, social mediaThe goal is to expedite the issuance of death certificates and international permits for the transfer of human remains. The corporate policies will cover the air transfer of the coffin from Popayán or Cali with final destination in the city of Quito, the company's place of origin and the residence of his loved ones. The executives announced that the remains of César Augusto Quillupangui Tipán will be received in the Ecuadorian capital by the partners, drivers and administrative staff of the cooperative. There, a funeral chapel will be set up at the company's main facilities to honor his career, before proceeding with his funeral rites and final burial in a cemetery in Quito, where his family and colleagues will bid him a final farewell. Grief over five fatalitiesThe secretary of Government of Cauca detailed the reconstruction of events, stating that four armed men shot at the bus, causing the driver to lose control and the vehicle to overturn, leaving five dead and more than 60 injured. She also warned about the saturation of the public and private hospital network in Popayán. For her part, the secretary of Health of Cauca reported from the CRUE a record of 64 people treated between the accident site and the medical centers of Popayán and Timbío, confirming five deaths (including a minor) and noting that most of those affected are of Ecuadorian and Venezuelan nationality. The governor of Cauca, Octavio Guzmán, condemned the attack and demanded that the national Government and the Ministry of Defense bring the military high command to the region to confront the criminal structures behind this and other incidents of public order disruption in the Cauca region. Consternation in EcuadorThe manager's death caused sadness among those who work at allied companies of Panamericana Internacional, such as Trans Esmeraldas Internacional Teisa S. A. There, they highlighted his legacy of integrity, leadership and service. Emergency services and the Public Force in Colombia continue investigations in the area to clarify the causes of the ambush and provide humanitarian assistance to the survivors. CAROLINA BOHÓRQUEZEL TIEMPO CorrespondentCaliRead more newsDuring the inauguration of EL TIEMPO's new headquarters. Photo: Follow all the news from Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. 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