Two mass graves with decomposing bodies found in Ecuador

The Armed Forces of Ecuador reported the discovery of two graves with decomposing bodies during an operation carried out in the Coral citadel, in the canton Esmeraldas, one of the areas most affected by criminal violence in the country. The intervention was carried out by the Security Block with the participation of the Ecuadorian Navy and the National Police of Ecuador, as part of coordinated actions to dismantle criminal structures on the northern border. According to the official report, the intervened sector was used as a refuge by a cell of the organized criminal group Los Tiguerones, one of the organizations identified by authorities as responsible for multiple violent acts in the province of Esmeraldas. During the operation, six people were apprehended and placed at the disposal of the competent authorities for the initiation of the corresponding investigations. In the same action, the uniformed officers seized a motorcycle reported as stolen, two Motorola communication radios, 48 rounds of ammunition, a homemade shotgun, and two cell phones. All the material was entered into the chain of custody, in accordance with current legal protocols, with the aim of serving as evidence within the judicial processes that derive from the case.

Military personnel carried out reconnaissance work that allowed them to locate the buried bodies.

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The discovery of the graves occurred during the reconnaissance of the area, within the framework of military and police intelligence work. According to the preliminary report, the bodies found were in an advanced state of decomposition, so forensic examinations will be necessary to determine the identity of the victims, as well as the causes and approximate time of death. The authorities have not detailed, so far, the exact number of corpses located in each grave. Error en el proceso de traducción Error en el proceso de traducción According to official security figures, the province of Esmeraldas recorded more than 700 homicides in 2025, ranking among the jurisdictions with the highest rates of violent deaths in Ecuador. This increase has been attributed mainly to clashes between criminal organizations and internal disputes over the control of illegal economies. In this context, the discovery of clandestine graves has become a recurring sign of the dynamics of violence affecting the area. Authorities have pointed out that these illegal burials are usually linked to extrajudicial executions perpetrated by criminal groups, who seek to hide evidence and avoid the identification of the victims. In several previous cases, the bodies found in mass graves have corresponded to people reported as missing, which has generated additional search and identification processes by specialized units. Discovery of clandestine graves during an operation in the Coral citadel, in Esmeraldas. Following the operation in the Coral citadel, the six apprehended individuals were transferred to police facilities, while the investigations were taken over by the Prosecutor's Office, which must determine their possible link to the events and to the Los Tiguerones structure in the area. You can also read: In its statement, the Ecuadorian Navy reiterated its commitment to continue carrying out joint operations to confront organized crime and reinforce security on the country's northern border. These actions are part of the state strategy deployed since the declaration of internal armed conflict, which has involved the direct participation of the Armed Forces in territorial control tasks and support for internal security.