Six corvettes were ordered by the Ecuadorian Navy from the Italian shipbuilder Cantieri Navali Riuniti (CNR) (now part of Fincantieri) in 1978[1][2] or 1979.

[3][4] They were a developed version of CNR's Wadi M'ragh missile corvettes built for Libya in the late 1970s, with more powerful engines giving a higher speed and revised armament and equipment.

[3] Four MTU MA20 V 956 TB 92 diesel engines rated at a total of 24,400 shp (18,200 kW) maximum power and 22,140 shp (16,510 kW) sustained power drive four propeller shafts, giving a short-term maximum speed of 37 kn (43 mph; 69 km/h) and a sustained speed of 34 kn (39 mph; 63 km/h).

It was planned to upgrade the ships' combat and fire control systems in 1993–1994, but a lack of funds prevented these changes.

[4] Three of the vessels of the class (Los Rios, Manabí and Loja) were refitted to extend their life by Astinave, being re-delivered in 2017–2018.