GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador — The investigation into the military’s involvement in the disappearance of four children in Ecuador this month has faced significant delays, remaining stalled for nearly two weeks despite the availability of surveillance footage showing soldiers interacting with two of the missing children. The incident occurred on December 8 in Guayaquil, where children aged 11 to 15 vanished after playing soccer. Their disappearance has sparked outrage among the public and human rights organizations, prompting calls for inquiries into what is being treated as a potential forced disappearance.
Authorities received the security footage just a day after the children went missing, revealing men in military uniforms taking two boys away in a pickup truck. Nonetheless, it took 15 days for the investigation into the military’s actions to be initiated. Sources close to the investigation, who requested anonymity, indicated that pressure from the children’s families, who utilized local media and social networks to demand accountability, was crucial in prompting authorities to act.
The identity of the boys in the footage is believed to match that of the missing children. This week, officials confirmed the discovery of four severely burned bodies near an air force base in Taura, raising concerns about whether these remains belong to the children. Following this discovery, 16 soldiers stationed at the base were apprehended. It may take up to a month to verify the identities of the bodies, as forensic experts will need to extract DNA from bones or teeth due to the condition of the remains negating fingerprint identification.
Legal proceedings are set to commence next Tuesday for the detained soldiers, with charges of forced disappearance anticipated, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Ecuador’s Defense Minister, Gian Carlo Loffredo, stated that the soldiers would also face inquiries from a military tribunal, emphasizing that the patrol believed to be involved with the children had not received authorization from superiors at the Taura base.
Questions raised by the public and media about the surveillance footage have been diverted by Ecuador’s police to the national prosecutor’s office, which has refrained from providing comments. Similarly, both the Ministry of Defense and the Ecuadorian army have not addressed queries regarding the video.
The backdrop of this incident includes a rise in violence across Ecuador, particularly following the escape of a gang leader from prison in January amidst violent rioting. Shortly after, another gang made headlines by disrupting a live broadcast of a television station and issuing demands to the government.
In an effort to combat the growing gang-related violence, President Daniel Noboa’s administration has increased military involvement in security matters. However, the military now faces scrutiny for alleged abuses in various cases, including the disappearance of two children in August in Los Rios and an incident where a 19-year-old was shot by military personnel at a checkpoint in Guayaquil.
As Noboa prepares for his re-election campaign in February, he has vowed to address the rampant violence. Nevertheless, many citizens have expressed rising frustration, as the homicide rate in Ecuador has escalated threefold since 2021, with drug gang extortion forcing thousands to flee to the United States.
