Grisly Warning: Five Human Heads Found on Puerto López Beach, Ecuador

Police said on Sunday that five human heads were found hung on display at Puerto López beach, a popular whale-watching destination in Ecuador’s southwest. Images circulating on social media showed the heads tied with ropes and suspended from two wooden posts on the sand.

Next to the display, a wooden board carried a message directed at local extortionists who demand protection payments known locally as "vaccine cards":

"The town belongs to us. Keep robbing fishermen and demanding vaccine cards, we already have you identified."

The grisly scene recalled deadly clashes at the same beach in December, when authorities said at least nine people — including a baby — were killed in violence blamed on local gangs.

Escalating Violence and Context

Ecuador closed 2025 as its most violent year on record, with a homicide rate of 52 per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the Ecuadorian Observatory of Organized Crime. Authorities say gangs operating in coordination with Colombian and Mexican drug cartels have expanded their presence in Ecuador since 2021.

Strategically located between Colombia and Peru, two of the world’s largest cocaine producers, Ecuador has increasingly become a transit hub for narcotics, contributing to heightened competition and violent confrontations among criminal groups.

Government Response

President Daniel Noboa has pledged to confront organized crime and has authorized military-backed operations, but officials acknowledge that two years of such activity have not yet halted the bloodshed. Local investigations are ongoing and police are seeking leads.

Viewer Advisory: Graphic images of the scene have circulated on social media. Readers should exercise caution if seeking out photos or videos.