Ecuador violence took a brutal turn Sunday after five severed human heads were discovered hanging from ropes on a tourist beach in southwestern Ecuador, highlighting the growing power of criminal gangs and the nation’s worsening security crisis. Authorities said the display was tied to escalating clashes between organized crime groups fighting for control of drug routes along the coast.
Police found the heads tied to wooden poles planted in the sand in Puerto Lopez, a small fishing port in Manabi province. Images published by Ecuadorian media showed blood at the scene and a wooden sign left beside the remains. According to reports, the message warned alleged extortionists who demand so-called “vaccine cards,” a term used for protection payments forced on local fishermen.
Officials said the killings appear to be part of an ongoing conflict between rival criminal groups operating in the area. Drug-trafficking networks with ties to transnational cartels are active along Ecuador’s coastline and frequently use fishing boats to transport illegal shipments, according to local police.
The Associated Press reported the incident reflects tactics used by gangs to intimidate rivals and civilians while asserting territorial control. Violence has surged nationwide in recent years, despite aggressive government action.
President Daniel Noboa has declared states of emergency in multiple provinces, including Manabi, and deployed the military to support police operations. Authorities have increased patrols and surveillance in Puerto Lopez following recent massacres. In 2025, at least nine people, including a baby, were killed there during an attack blamed on gang clashes.
Ecuador closed the year with a record homicide rate of 52 per 100,000 people, according to the Organized Crime Observatory, marking the deadliest year on record.
