Police in Ecuador’s El Oro province reported on Dec. 1 that 10 dead bodies had been found in the town of Guabo. Some of the bodies were found in a local residence and others by a nearby road. The victims are believed to have been renting a rural estate and were attacked as they slept on Nov. 30.
Authorities attribute the bodies to gang violence and drug trafficking, which has become an increasing problem in the area as gangs try to maintain control of territory and smuggling routes. This follows an incident earlier this year where the country’s president, Daniel Noboa, declared a state of internal armed conflict and designated nearly two dozen gangs in the area as terrorist groups. Under these measures, rights such as freedom of assembly are suspended, and police have more leeway to search homes without a warrant.
“There are nine dead bodies, and a kilometer further in, there is a corpse that is completely dismembered in a jute bag,” the lead investigator, Colonel Pablo Fajardo told local journalists.
Fajardo stated during his press release that the nationalities of the 10 victims are currently unknown, noting that they believed some of the victims could have been foreigners who were attacked as they were resting.
Bullets recovered from the scene include 9-millimeter rounds and 5.56 caliber rifle ammunition. Police believe that other people who were staying with the victims might have escaped. Preliminary investigations suggest the victims could have criminal records for illicit trafficking of controlled substances, robbery and attempted murder.
Ecuador has become one of the world’s most violent nations and a major drug trafficking hub in recent years. Ecuador registered a record 47 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, up from six murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018.
Noboa’s government says its crackdown on gangs allegedly linked to international criminal groups such as Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel has reduced the number of murders this year.
As of right now, no arrests have been made related to the incident.
