Manta military operation leaves three dead in El Aromo

Three men were killed during a confrontation with the Ecuadorian Armed Forces in the El Aromo sector of Manta, Manabí. The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 23, when military personnel intercepted a pickup truck on the grounds of the failed Pacific Refinery project.

The deceased have been identified as Carlos Germán Muñoz Jara, known as alias ‘Charlie’; Juan David Quiñones Pineda; and Danny Gustavo Hernández Arteaga, 26. Authorities reported that the occupants were armed, recovering a rifle, another firearm, and an explosive device at the scene, which was later destroyed via controlled detonation.

Muñoz Jara, an inhabitant of Ibarra, was identified by the government as a suspected logistical and financial operator for international drug trafficking networks. Official investigations have linked him to Los Choneros, the Oliver Sinisterra Front from Colombia, and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) from Mexico. The military operation involved coordination and support from the United States Southern Command.