Banana Farmer Eduardo Ochoa Arias Found Dead After Kidnapping in Colima

Eduardo Ochoa Arias, a banana producer and exporter in Colima, was found dead after being abducted on March 13 in Cerro de Ortega (near Tecomán) by an armed group while traveling through nearby agricultural areas close to the Michoacán border. 

No ransom demand or prior threats were reported. After 11–12 days of joint searches by Colima and Michoacán authorities, his body was found on a beach in Boca de Apiza, Coahuayana, Michoacán, and identified via DNA. No suspects have been arrested, and the motive remains unclear, though extortion is common in this region. 

In 2025, Colima ranked 4th nationally in extortion incidence, with a rate of 18 victims per 100,000 inhabitants. In high-risk agricultural zones like in Colima and neighboring states, organized crime groups impose quotas on producers, packers, and exporters. This has led to protests, blockades, and occasional halts in production, as seen in related lime strikes in nearby Michoacán.

Ochoa’s death was announced by a Catholic priest at the request of his family.

Ochoa’s company Ochoa Products was a major regional employer whose operations supported roughly 2,000 jobs. Ochoa’s disappearance and death triggered protests and highway blockades by family members, workers, and producers, particularly along the Colima–Manzanillo corridor, demanding his safe return and criticizing security failures.