Ecuador charred bodies found in house marked with Los Lobos messages
Police found seven burned bodies in La Troncal as Ecuador faces a state of emergency and a violent gang turf war.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Seven Ecuador charred bodies were discovered inside a rural home in the southern province of Canar, authorities said, with messages on the walls pointing to one of the country’s major criminal gangs.
Police said the bodies were found Tuesday in La Troncal, a town in an area under a state of emergency as Ecuador struggles with rising organized crime violence. A police report said the victims were between 21 and 30 years old.
Two of the bodies had been bound with wire, according to the report. Investigators also found a burned-out vehicle outside the property.
The same report said the killings may be connected to a gang turf battle. Messages painted inside the house included “land of Wolves” and “the Wolves are active,” authorities said.
Who are Los Lobos in Ecuador?
Los Lobos, whose name means “The Wolves,” is described by authorities as one of Ecuador’s main gangs involved in drug trafficking and extortion. The group has links to international cartels, and the United States designated Los Lobos as a terrorist organization last September.
The discovery comes after another grisly case last month in a southwestern area known for narco-trafficking. Authorities said eight bodies were found in plastic bags, and Ecuadoran officials said a note at that scene suggested the victims had been targeted by Los Lobos during its fight with the rival Los Choneros gang.
On Tuesday, authorities also arrested a former mayor of a mining town in a neighboring province. Officials consider the former mayor the main financial backer of Los Lobos, according to authorities.
Why has violence surged in Ecuador?
Ecuador has become a major route for cocaine shipments from Colombia and Peru, the world’s two biggest cocaine-producing countries. About 70% of the drugs produced in those countries pass through Ecuador, according to the report.
The shift has helped turn a country once regarded as one of South America’s safer nations into a major trafficking hub. Gangs in Ecuador are involved in drug smuggling, extortion, kidnapping and illegal gold mining, according to authorities.
Last year, Ecuador recorded more than 9,200 violent deaths, the highest total on record. The latest killings add to a wave of bloodshed that has continued despite a U.S.-backed military campaign against organized crime groups.
Earlier this year, American commandos joined Ecuadorian troops in an operation along the country’s coast. The mission was aimed at dismantling what officials described as a suspected criminal hub run by an alleged narco-terrorist organization.
The gang violence has also continued after the recapture of Adolfo Macías, Ecuador’s biggest drug lord and the leader of Los Choneros. Macías escaped from a maximum-security prison in 2024, was recaptured in June 2025 and was extradited to the United States in July 2025.
In the United States, Macías faces multiple drug trafficking and firearms charges, according to U.S. authorities. Los Choneros remains a rival of Los Lobos, the group referenced in messages at the La Troncal house where the seven bodies were found.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.