Eight dismembered bodies were found in clandestine graves inside an illegal mine in Ecuador.

Ecuadorian authorities on Sunday found eight dismembered bodies in two mass graves at an illegal gold mine in the south of the country, where a state of emergency is in effect. The bodies belonged to seven men and one woman, and showed signs of extreme violence.

The discovery was made in the municipality of Pucará, in the Andean province of Azuay, where illegal gold and copper mining has increased in recent years. The area is also largely controlled by a violent gang known as Los Lobos (The Wolves).

According to information released by the Ecuadorian police, the victims were buried in two graves dug within a makeshift camp allegedly associated with illegal mining activities.

The bodies “were about two meters deep,” their hands were tied, and they had “injuries such as dismemberment and decapitation” consistent with machete wounds, the head of the local judicial police, Colonel Pablo Inga, told the media. He confirmed that the mine did not have operating permits.

According to preliminary analysis, the bodies had been buried for about two days. Their identities have not yet been confirmed.

Police arrived at the remote area after receiving reports of gunfire. Several residents told authorities that their relatives were missing.

Two burned-out vehicles were also found at the site, and police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident that left eight people dead. According to initial testimonies from relatives, the victims had been missing since last Thursday.

Ecuador has been living under a state of “internal armed conflict” since 2024, declared by President Daniel Noboa to intensify the fight against criminal gangs, which he labeled “terrorists” and which he links primarily to drug trafficking and illegal mining.

Despite this declaration, 2025 ended with a record number of homicides in Ecuador, totaling around 9,300, according to figures from the Ministry of the Interior.