Brodowski told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that Ecuadorian authorities had formally confirmed they were ready to release the body. “We requested that the body be handed over to the Polish prosecutor’s office so we can conduct our own autopsy,” he said.
Monika Silva Veras, a Polish social and anti‑corruption activist, died in June. She had lived for years in Ecuador’s Santa Elena province. Her body was found in early June inside her home in Montañita. She had publicly reported alleged corruption involving local officials.
According to Brodowski, investigators consulted medical experts to determine whether an autopsy in Poland was advisable. The consultations led to the decision to conduct the examination in Gdańsk. The prosecutor’s office will cover the cost of repatriation, which must be carried out by a company authorized to handle remains under strict sanitary rules.
“We already have the results of the autopsy conducted in Ecuador. We value the materials we received,” Brodowski said. He previously told PAP that the Ecuadorian examination indicated Silva Veras had been murdered. The office has not disclosed details regarding the mechanism of her death.
Prosecutors in Olsztyn remain in contact with Ecuadorian investigators. A joint video conference was recently held, and Ecuador provided extensive case materials. Brodowski noted that Adam Bożko, the Polish consul in Peru, has supported communication with Ecuadorian authorities. The documents sent from Ecuador will now be translated from Spanish.
Silva‑Koniuszek served as president of the La Integridad Foundation, reporting alleged corruption by local authorities, including irregularities in land sales in Santa Elena. She had stated for months that she was receiving threats and feared for her safety. She was found dead on June 8.
A day after her body was discovered, Ecuador’s Interior Minister John Reimberg told media that suicide was suspected. Human‑rights organizations representing her family later said autopsy findings pointed to homicide. The EU Delegation in Quito and the Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights called for a swift and transparent investigation.
On June 12, the District Prosecutor’s Office in Olsztyn opened an investigation into Silva Veras’s death, as her last place of residence in Poland fell under its jurisdiction.
(pu)
Source: PAP