Ecuador Apologizes to Families of COVID-19 Victims

Ecuador's government Friday publicly apologized to the families of Guayaquil's COVID-19 victims whose bodies remain missing. 

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The apology came after a a Guayaquil's judge issued a sentence against several institutions involved in the bodies disappearance. The complaint against these institutions was promoted by the Ombudsman’s Office in the city.

The judge's veredict also demanded Ecuador's Health Ministry and Social Security Institute to train their employees about the protocol of the corpses' manipulation in times of pandemic. 

The government's apology note was published in a local outlet and was signed by the Guasmo Sur Hospital's manager. 

“We apology to the family of the victims, whose bodies remain missing. We also express our apologies to the relatives that were able to find for themselves the bodies of their loved ones,” the statement assured. 

According to the Ombudsman office, there was a clear violation against the rights to human dignity, personal integrity, the constitutional right of access to high-quality public services and legal security.

The Ecuadorian Social Security Institute, Ministry of Health, the General Norte Guayaquil Los Ceibos, and the Teodoro Maldonado are also obliged to grant integral reparation to the victim’s families.

During the first months of the pandemic, Guayaquil citizens took to social media to claim  for help.

Many said their loved ones were dying at home due to COVID-19, while others denounced the bodies of their loved ones that died from the disease were missing. 

As of Friday, Ecuador registers 85,265 COVID-19 cases, and 5,702 deaths.