A beauty queen has disappeared after attending the funeral of two murdered crime boss brothers.
Alina Pihuave Narváez, who was romantically linked to one of the brothers, vanished on 27 December.
The 19-year-old model had just left the funeral when her phone went dead and no one could contact her.
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Her parents, Byron Pihuave and Mayra Narváez, released a video appeal on social media on Monday (5 Jan).
They called for the authorities to urgently step up their efforts to find their daughter.
The pair said they remain hopeful Alina is still alive despite the passing days and lack of information surrounding the case.
Police spokesperson Colonel Geovanni Naranjo emphasised that a specialist team is working on the case.
He said Alina was in a relationship with one of the Véliz brothers who allegedly ran a criminal gang in Puerto López, located on Ecuador’s Pacific coast.
Erwin José and Angelo Argenis Véliz Guale were both killed in a turf war in the early hours of 27 December.
Alina disappeared after their funeral later the same day.
Her phone registered activity on WhatsApp at 9:12pm that evening, but hasn’t transmitted a signal since.
Colonel Naranjo said the brothers’ deaths were possibly caused by an internal division within their criminal group.
Several factions are vying for territorial control in the area, which has led to an increase in armed attacks, as reported by Need To Know.
Some have suggested Alina was murdered and that her body was thrown in the sea.
But the police were quick to dispel the rumours as they insisted they’re still hopeful they will find her alive.
Alina was crowned the Beauty Queen of Puerto López in 2024.
The investigation into her disappearance is ongoing.
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