Ecuador’s Attorney General confirmed on Tuesday 31/12/2024 that charred remains discovered in Taura last week belong to four boys who went missing on December 8, sparking national outrage and raising serious questions about the role of the military in their disappearance. Forensic genetic tests confirmed the bodies are those of three teenagers and one child, aged between 11 and 15, who vanished after leaving their home in Guayaquil to play football.
Investigation and Military Involvement
The disappearance of the boys has been surrounded by suspicion, particularly after surveillance footage surfaced showing two of them being detained by soldiers in a military vehicle. Despite having the footage a day after the incident, the investigation into the military’s involvement was not launched until 15 days later. The delay in the official inquiry only began after the families of the missing boys raised alarms publicly, pressing authorities through social media and media outlets.
The case has drawn significant attention due to Ecuador’s ongoing battle with gang-related violence, which has led to increased militarization of the country. President Daniel Noboa’s government has been tackling rising crime with military-backed states of emergency, which have granted extensive powers to security forces. However, critics warn that such measures can also enable human rights abuses, a concern that has intensified following the disappearance of the boys.
Arrest of Military Personnel
Last week, 16 members of Ecuador’s military were arrested in connection with the boys’ disappearance. Judge Dennis Ugalde Alvarez ordered that these individuals remain in custody while investigations continue into their alleged involvement. The decision to hold them behind bars was welcomed by the families of the victims, with some relatives expressing their desire for the suspects to be detained in regular jails rather than military facilities.
Antonio Arroyo, uncle to two of the boys, expressed his anger, saying, “Let them go directly to jail where they belong.” Protests erupted in both Quito and Guayaquil, with demonstrators calling for justice and criticizing the government’s response. Retiree Fernando Bustamante, one of the protesters, voiced his frustration: “We won’t accept it. We are angry and indignant because the government and the authorities have not said anything.”
Context of Militarization in Ecuador
The boys’ disappearance is set against the backdrop of Ecuador’s escalating security crisis. To combat the rise in gang violence, President Noboa has taken steps to designate certain criminal organizations as “terrorist” groups and has implemented states of emergency, giving military forces a larger role in law enforcement. In a public referendum earlier this year, voters also overwhelmingly supported granting police and military personnel expanded powers to combat organized crime.
However, such declarations of emergency powers have a troubled history in Latin America, where they have sometimes led to abuses, including corruption, torture, and enforced disappearances by state forces. Critics argue that the increasing militarization of law enforcement in Ecuador may be creating conditions where such violations are more likely to occur.
Ongoing Protests and Public Outcry
The disappearance of the boys, now referred to as the “Malvinas Case,” has sparked widespread public protests. Demonstrators continue to demand transparency and accountability from the Ecuadorian government, with many calling for those responsible for the boys’ deaths to be held fully accountable. The case has ignited a national conversation about the balance between security measures and human rights, highlighting the risks of unchecked state power in the name of fighting crime.
As the investigation into the boys’ deaths and the military’s involvement progresses, the families and the public await justice, hoping that this tragedy will lead to both accountability and broader reforms in Ecuador’s approach to security and human rights protections.
Illustration Picture by The U.S. National Archives on Picryl: https://catalog.archives.gov/
