GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador — On Tuesday, local law enforcement in Ecuador discovered a number of unidentified bodies in proximity to a military installation, prompting inquiries into whether these remains might belong to four children who were abducted earlier this month by individuals dressed in military attire.
This troubling case involves four minors aged between 11 and 15, who disappeared on December 8. The incident has sent shockwaves throughout Ecuador, leading both human rights organizations and the public to press for clarity about the children’s fates while advocating for the case to be treated as a potential forced disappearance.
In response to escalating demands for information, 16 soldiers were taken into custody as part of the investigation into the children’s mysterious disappearance. Prosecutors are also exploring the possibility of pressing charges against military personnel for their alleged involvement in this case, although no formal charges have been filed so far.
A police representative indicated that the bodies were found in a mangrove region near Taura, close to where the military base is situated. Although no specific number of bodies has been disclosed, authorities are currently analyzing them to ascertain their identities.
Two additional officials, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the investigation, reported to the media that the remains appeared to be burned and bore signs of violence.
President Daniel Noboa has addressed the situation, assuring the public that his administration will not shield anyone involved in the children’s disappearance. Noboa, who has deployed the military as a means to combat rising crime in the country, has stated that accountability is paramount—especially with elections looming in February.
The children went missing in Guayaquil, where public demonstrations took place on Monday, calling for justice and transparency regarding their whereabouts. Following the protests, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo mandated the continued detention of the 16 soldiers while the investigation proceeds.
The bodies were recovered near the Taura Military Base, the main site for the Ecuadorian Air Force, where the detained soldiers were stationed. Recently released surveillance footage shows men wearing military uniforms forcibly taking two boys and driving away with them, believed to be part of the group that went missing that night. The Defense Minister confirmed that the children were last seen in the vicinity of the captured footage.
The videos captured depict a chaotic scene with children attempting to flee while men in uniform apprehend two of them and load them into a pickup truck. This visual evidence appears to support the claims made by Luis Arroyo, whose two children were among those missing. Arroyo recounted that his children were on their way home from a soccer game when they were intercepted by vehicles containing armed personnel.
Minister Loffredo revealed in a press conference that, according to a military report, the minors were initially detained by a patrol of 16 agents who allegedly responded to a situation involving the robbery of a woman. He claimed the military released the children later without notifying the police. However, this assertion is contradicted by the footage, which does not depict any robbery occurring.