Ecuador: A court in Ecuador has sentenced 11 soldiers to 34 years in prison for their role in the abuse and enforced disappearance of four children from the coastal city of Guayaquil.
The verdict followed a yearlong investigation into the fate of the boys, who vanished on December 8, 2024, after heading towards a sports field near their neighbourhood. Weeks later, on December 31, the charred remains of Steven Medina, Nehemias Arboleda, and brothers Ismael and Josue Arroyo were discovered in a swampy rural area outside the city.
The court also handed lighter sentences of two and a half years to five other soldiers who cooperated with prosecutors during the trial. While the defendants were acquitted of murder, the court found they had unlawfully detained and abandoned the minors in a remote and dangerous location.
Testimony revealed that the children, aged between 11 and 15, were beaten, subjected to mock executions, forced to strip, and later left naked in an isolated area known for criminal activity. The military had initially claimed the boys were suspected criminals who were released alive after questioning, a version of events the court rejected.
The case sparked widespread anger across Ecuador and deepened concerns over President Daniel Noboa’s Phoenix Plan, which expanded the role of the armed forces in domestic security operations amid surging gang violence. Human rights groups argue the policy has led to serious abuses without curbing crime.
Amnesty International has reported a rise in enforced disappearances since the military deployment began, noting that dozens of people have gone missing following encounters with soldiers since Noboa took office in 2023. The organisation has also accused the armed forces of obstructing investigations by withholding key information.
