Gun Too Soon: Cartel Boss Buried With Guns To ‘Protect Himself In The Afterlife’
A notorious cartel leader in Ecuador was laid to rest with a massive arsenal of weapons in his coffin, apparently to ‘protect himself in the afterlife’.
Manuel Julian Sevillano Bustamante, 39, the alleged boss of ‘Los Fatales’, was killed in a shooting at a carwash in Mocache, Los Rios, along with his 20-year-old daughter and a security guard.
His loyal followers decided to honour him by stuffing his coffin with machine guns, shotguns and a revolver. They also gave him a hat to wear so he could look his best at the Gates of St. Peter.
A video of the bizarre funeral, which has gone viral on social media, shows the armed coffin being carried by pallbearers and surrounded by mourners.
Bustamante was reportedly targeted by his assassins who knew that he frequented the same carwash. His daughter was also shot and later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
The authorities have not identified the perpetrators of the attack, but suspect that it could be related to the ongoing turf war between rival drug gangs in the region.
According to local media, Los Fatales are in a conflict with Los Cornejos for control of the drug trade in the provinces of Manabi and Los Rios.
The investigation is still underway.
Ecuador has seen a surge in cartel violence in recent years. The country recorded 4,600 violent deaths in 2022, double the previous year, and is on track to break the record again with 3,568 violent deaths in the first half of 2023.
The violence has also claimed the lives of several political figures, including presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was shot dead last month. He was an outspoken critic of organised crime and corruption.
Other victims include Manta’s mayor AgustÃn Intriago, who was killed in July, and local political organiser Pedro Briones, who died in August. All three killings were allegedly linked to cartel activity.
