Ecuadorean Soldiers Sentenced for Forced Disappearance of Four Minors
Eleven Ecuadorean soldiers have received sentences of 34 years and eight months in prison each, following their conviction for the forced disappearance of four boys in 2023. Five other soldiers received reduced sentences of two and a half years for cooperating with the prosecution, while a lieutenant-colonel was acquitted.
The victims were identified as NehemĂas Arboleda (15), Steven Medina (11), Ismael Arroyo (15), and JosuĂ© Arroyo (14). Their burned bodies were discovered days after their disappearance near a military base in Guayaquil.
Incident DetailsA court determined that a military patrol, deployed as part of the government's anti-gang operations, intercepted the boys while they were returning from playing football in Guayaquil. The soldiers forced the minors to remove their clothing, subjected them to beatings, and subsequently left them naked in a remote area. One of the boys had reportedly contacted his father by phone before their disappearance.
Defense officials initially stated that the boys, known as "The Malvinas Four" after their neighborhood, had been stopped on suspicion of robbery.
Court Ruling and OrdersThe presiding judge ruled that the minors were "innocent victims of a state crime." The court ordered:
- An official apology to the victims' families.
- The commemoration of the four victims with a plaque.
- Mandatory human rights training for military personnel.
Evidence presented by the cooperating soldiers revealed that the 16 soldiers on patrol transported the boys to a remote area, where they were subjected to racist insults, physical assaults, and a simulated execution.
Defense attorneys argued that the soldiers were not responsible for the boys' deaths, as the minors were alive when left. However, the judge concluded that leaving them in the specific hazardous location "was the cause of the victims' death." The individuals responsible for burning the bodies have not been identified.