Charred bodies found near Ecuador military base are 4 boys who went missing while playing soccer, officials say

[Judi Lynn]

Updated on: January 1, 2025 / 6:57 AM EST / CBS/AFP


Genetic tests on charred bodies found near an Ecuador military base confirm they are those of four boys taken by soldiers three weeks ago, officials said Tuesday.

The disappearance of the boys, aged between 11 and 15, sparked protests in the South American nation, which is in the throes of an armed struggle between narco gangs and security forces.

. . .

"The results of genetic forensic tests confirm that the four bodies found in Taura correspond to the three teenagers and a boy who disappeared after a December 8 military operation," Ecuador's prosecution service wrote on social media.

An unverified video released by Ecuador's Congress appears to show a group of soldiers putting one of the minors in a vehicle and beating him, while another was seen face down.

. . .

The father of one of the boys said his family received a call the night of their disappearance during which Ismael was put on the phone. The boy said soldiers had chased them down, taken them and beaten them.

More:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ecuador-missing-boys-bodies-found-near-military-base/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Ecuador judge orders detention of 16 air force members over disappearance of minors

Pamel Kaur | U. Auckland Law School, NZ
January 2, 2025 03:44:39 pm

A judge in Ecuador ordered the pretrial detention of 16 Air Force personnel on Tuesday amid investigations into the disappearance and deaths of four minors in Guayaquil.

The Attorney General’s Office filed charges of enforced disappearance against the 16 men, and the judge ordered their detention while prosecutors conduct their investigation. The prosecution’s evidence of the individuals’ alleged involvement included eyewitness testimonies, forensic reports, and video footage.

The minors, aged between 11 and 15, were last seen on December 8, and were allegedly detained by military personnel near the Taura Air Base. Their bodies were discovered on December 24. Ecuadorian Defense Minister Gian Carlo Lofffredo stated on Friday that the 16 soldiers will also be questioned by a military tribunal and that the Taura base authorities had not given their approval for the patrol associated with the missing children.

The UN defines enforced disappearance as the deprivation of liberty by state agents followed by a refusal to disclose the victims’ fate. Under Article 84 of the Código Orgánico Integral Penal (COIP), this crime carries a penalty of up to 26 years in prison.

The case has drawn attention to Ecuador’s commitments under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which mandates states to investigate, prosecute, and punish such crimes. Ecuador, as a party to this convention, is required not only to ensure that such crimes are thoroughly investigated but also to hold perpetrators accountable through legal proceedings. The alleged involvement of military personnel in the forced disappearance of minors underscores the challenge of upholding international human rights standards, especially when state actors are implicated.

More:
https://www.jurist.org/news/2025/01/ecuador-judge-orders-detention-of-16-air-force-members-over-disappearance-of-minors/

[70sEraVet]

2. "armed struggle between narco gangs and security forces"

When the 'Security' forces are committing these heinous crimes, there is only gangs.
I hope the families of those boys live to see some form of justice.