Camilla Jessen
Drug gangs leave deadly warning on Ecuador beach.
Five severed human heads were found hanging from ropes on a beach in southwestern Ecuador on Sunday, in what police described as an act of intimidation linked to organized crime.
According to the Associated Press, the heads were discovered on a tourist beach in the fishing port of Puerto Lopez, in Manabi province.
Images shared by local media showed the heads tied to wooden poles planted in the sand, with visible blood at the scene.
Police said a wooden sign was left nearby carrying a threatening message aimed at alleged extortionists targeting local fishermen.
Message to rivals
The sign reportedly warned people demanding so-called “vaccine cards,” protection payments commonly imposed by gangs, that they had been identified.
Authorities believe the display was intended as a warning from one criminal group to rivals, amid ongoing disputes over control of territory and trafficking routes.
The Associated Press reported that police linked the killings to conflicts between gangs operating along Ecuador’s coastline.
Drug-trafficking networks connected to transnational cartels are active in coastal provinces like Manabi. Local police say fishermen and small boats are frequently used to move illicit shipments.
Control of ports, beaches and fishing communities has become increasingly valuable as gangs fight for dominance, often using extreme violence to send messages.
State response
President Daniel Noboa has declared states of emergency in several provinces, including Manabi, and deployed the military to support police operations.
Despite these measures, violence has continued to escalate. Following the beach discovery, police increased patrols and surveillance in Puerto Lopez, the Associated Press reported.
Manabi has seen repeated deadly attacks. In 2025, at least nine people, including a baby, were killed in a massacre in the province, which authorities blamed on clashes between local gangs.
Nationwide crisis
Ecuador’s violence is not limited to the coast. As previously reported by Fox News Digital, infighting between gang factions in Guayaquil in 2025 left nearly two dozen people dead.
According to the Organized Crime Observatory, Ecuador ended the year with a record homicide rate of 52 per 100,000 people, making it the deadliest year on record.
Sources: Associated Press, Fox News Digital, Organized Crime Observatory
