In Ecuador, the Minister of Defense, Gian Carlo Loffredo, promised Monday “full transparency” to shed light on the disappearance and death of four teenagers arrested by the army, an affair which is deeply shaking the country. Summoned before a parliamentary committee on childhood, he sent a message to the families of the victims, affirming that he will hide “nothing or anyone” and committing to “act with complete transparency” to elucidate the facts.
This promise comes after the discovery, on December 24, of four charred bodies near a military base in Taura, on the outskirts of Guayaquil. The teenagers, identified as Saul Arboleda, Steven Medina and brothers Josué and Ismael Arroyo, aged 11 to 15, disappeared on December 8 after being arrested by the military. This city, affected by a surge in violence linked to drug trafficking, has a strong military presence due to the fight against criminal gangs.
“Forced disappearance” according to justice
Ecuadorian justice concluded that there had been a “forced disappearance” of the teenagers before the discovery of the bodies. Sixteen soldiers suspected of being involved in this arrest and disappearance were placed in detention, and a hearing will be held Tuesday before a court in Guayaquil to clarify the charges against them. The commander of the armed forces, Celiano Cevallos, told parliamentarians that “military personnel acted in response” to an alleged theft committed by the teenagers.
Also read, our file on Ecuador
The affair aroused indignation from UN agencies and the OAS (Organization of American States), as well as international human rights organizations. In Ecuador, around forty local organizations accused President Daniel Noboa of bearing responsibility for “serious human rights violations” committed in 2024 as part of his fight against organized crime.