Corpses emit a pungent scent in Ecuador's violent stronghold.
Guayaquil, the bustling Ecuadorian seaport, with its annual count of over 3700 killings, is a notoriously dangerous place in South America. The city's overworked forensic medicine services struggle to keep up with the influx of bodies, leading to overcrowded morgues and unpleasant odors permeating the air.
In the sprawling metropolitan area of Guayaquil, long plagued by violent gang activity, authorities are finding it increasingly difficult to account for the staggering number of lifeless bodies. Reports estimate that around 200 corpses have surpassed the morgue and forensic medicine's limits. To make matters worse, a supposedly defective refrigerated container is believed to be causing a stench that's bothering locals.
Juan Montenegro, a former head of the city's forensic medicine, commented on the situation, expressing confusion as to why the corpses weren't promptly moved to a mass grave. "I can't fathom why they didn't bury the corpses on time," he said.
The Guayas provincial government has addressed the issue, assuring that the refrigeration problems at the morgue have been fixed. A faulty refrigeration unit, where corpses are stored when the morgue becomes full, has been repaired.
The past week alone witnessed the arrival of 40 more victims of violent crimes to the forensic medicine facility. In this city of 2.7 million people, gangs are fighting each other for control of territories and drug smuggling routes. However, police and military have upped their efforts to target drug peddlers in recent months. As such, Guayaquil is currently considered one of the most dangerous locations in South America; this year, police records show a total of 3762 violent deaths.
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In the context of Guayaquil's ongoing issues, international organizations have expressed concern over the high number of murder and manslaughter cases, often linked to drug-related violence. Despite the efforts of authorities to address refrigeration issues at the morgue, the city continues to attracted international attention due to its high rate of violent crimes, with over 3700 deaths reported this year.
