Human heads displayed at Ecuador tourist beach in warning to gangs
CBS News••general
Key Points:
- Five human heads were found displayed on a tourist beach in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador, accompanied by a threatening message targeting gang members involved in extortion schemes known as "vaccine cards."
- The gruesome display highlights ongoing gang violence in the area, which saw a deadly incident in December where nine people, including a baby, were killed in gang clashes.
- Ecuador recorded its most violent year in 2025, with a homicide rate of 52 per 100,000 inhabitants, driven by gangs linked to international drug cartels.
- Despite President Daniel Noboa's commitment and two years of military efforts to combat organized crime, violence persists as gangs collaborate with Colombian and Mexican cartels.
- Ecuador's strategic location between major cocaine
