Eight dismembered bodies were discovered yesterday, Sunday, secretly buried inside an illegal mine in the Asuay province of Ecuador (south), police announced.
The bodies were “buried at a depth of about two meters,” their hands were tied, and they showed “injuries such as dismemberment and decapitation” inflicted with machetes, Pablo Iga, a senior judicial police officer, explained to the press.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The victims were found in the Pucara area. In this area, where the Los Lobos (“the wolves”) gang is considered to be in control, illegal gold panning and copper mining have intensified in recent years.
According to preliminary analyses, the bodies were buried at the mine approximately two days ago. The victims’ identities have not yet been confirmed.
Despite the policy of cracking down on gangs and the “war” on gangs declared by right-wing President Daniel Noboa, violence continues in Ecuador, where gangs are clashing for control of drug trafficking routes and illegal mining operations.
SEE ALSO: Alarm in Denmark: Several Injured After Shootout in the City of Holbæk
Police had been deployed to the remote area when they received reports of gunfire.
Residents reported to authorities that their loved ones were missing.
Asuay is one of the ten provinces in Ecuador where a state of emergency has been in effect since June, due to a surge in gun violence.
Ecuador, once an oasis of peace and tranquility in Latin America, has in recent years become the most dangerous country in the entire region. In 2025, the homicide rate reached 51 per 100,000 residents, the highest in all of South America, according to data from InSight Crime.
SOURCE: Proto Thema
