Débora ("La Pajarita")
9 Nov 2025
Bolívar (Ecuador)
Tortured and murdered
Débora's body was found with signs of violence a day after she had gone missing. She may have been kidnapped and killed by individuals attempting to extort money from her.
The murder of Débora, known as "La Pajarita," has reignited concerns about extreme violence against transgender women in Ecuador. After disappearing in Los Ríos province, her body was found in Bolívar province with preliminary signs of torture.
Débora, known online as “La Pajarita,” was found dead on November 9th on the Echandía–Caluma road in Bolívar province. Her disappearance had been reported the day before by activist groups in Los Ríos. The case, being investigated as a possible transfemicide, once again highlights the extreme violence faced by trans women in the country.
The information was confirmed by Diane Rodríguez, a member of the Silueta X organization. She has accompanied Débora since 2021, when the young woman suffered an attack in her hometown of Ventanas.
In the early hours of November 8, trans groups in the Los Ríos region alerted Silueta X about Débora's disappearance. From that moment, the Runa Sipiy Observatory—which records acts of violence against LGBTIQ+ people—activated a follow-up on the case.
Less than 24 hours later, the young woman's body was found in Bolívar, far from her hometown. According to Rodríguez, preliminary data gathered by local organizations indicates that the victim was tortured before being murdered. However, the official autopsy report has not yet been released.
Rodríguez explains that many attacks occur within a context of widespread insecurity. People with low economic exposure can be mistakenly perceived as having resources. In Débora's case, her activity on TikTok—where she shared humorous content and glimpses into her daily life—may have been interpreted that way by criminal groups, although the organization rules out the possibility that she had a high income.
“These cases are not related to organized crime on the part of the victims,” Rodríguez states. “They also affect shopkeepers and low-income individuals, who become targets of extortion and kidnapping.”
https://www.radiopichincha.com/transfemicidio-la-pajarita-ecuador-2025/
https://x.com/radio_pichincha/status/1987720951685943754
