Human heads hung up on display at popular tourist beach in Ecuador — as a gruesome warning
The gruesome discovery was accompanied by a warning note to gangs.
Five decapitated heads were discovered displayed at a popular tourist beach in Ecuador on Sunday, in what authorities say appears to be a violent warning to local gangs.
The heads were hung between two wooden poles and tied with a green rope at the Pacific resort of Puerto López, according to Ecuadorian news outlet Primicias. A sign found alongside the grisly display warned gangs against extorting local fishermen.
“The town belongs to us. Keep going out to rob the fishermen. And keep asking for vaccine cards, because we already have them all,” the sign reportedly read. While the decapitated bodies have not yet been located, police have identified all five men.
Only one, 24-year-old Bernardo Ramon Medranda Mendoza, had a prior criminal record for possession and carrying firearms. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
Puerto López has been grappling with escalating violence linked to international drug cartels. On Dec. 28, a shooting near the beach left six people dead, including a baby, and three others wounded. Ecuador sits strategically between Peru and Colombia, major cocaine-producing countries, making it a key hub in the global drug trade.
The country’s young, conservative president, Daniel Noboa, 38, launched an armed campaign against drug gangs two years ago. Despite these efforts, Ecuador saw a record homicide rate of 52 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, according to the Organized Crime Observatory.
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