In Quito, a court handed 34-year prison sentences to 11 soldiers for the abduction, torture and murder of four children in 2023, a case that has shaken Ecuador’s political landscape.
The Case
- On Dec. 8, 2024, brothers Ismael and Josué Arroyo, along with friends Saúl Arboleda and Steven Medina, vanished after a soccer game in Guayaquil.
- Security-camera footage showed the children being seized by a military patrol and forced into the back of a pickup truck.
- Investigators later found the charred remains of the children-aged 11 to 15-outside a military base on the outskirts of Guayaquil.
Court Ruling
- Judge José Suárez sentenced the soldiers to 34 years and imposed a $10,000 fine on each defendant, requiring a public apology to the families.
- He ruled that the children were “executed in a cruel fashion” after being forced to move a fallen tree, beaten with rifles, stripped, and then killed.
- Around 100 witnesses testified, and the children’s remains were used to prove head blows before execution.
- Five soldiers who cooperated with investigators received reduced sentences of 2½ years.
- The court ordered the military to hold a ceremony acknowledging state responsibility and to install a plaque honoring the children at the base.
Military Context
- President Daniel Noboa, reelected in April, declared Ecuador in an “internal armed conflict” in January 2024, authorizing military patrols in cities.
- The measure is justified by a tripling homicide rate since 2021, driven by drug gangs vying for ports and smuggling routes.
- Human-rights groups have accused the armed forces and police of extrajudicial killings and unlawful detentions.
Next Steps
- The soldiers will face a murder trial next year for the children’s deaths.
- The Defense Ministry stated it would comply with the ruling, affirming respect for the law.
- “Justice has been delivered today,” the ministry said. “We ratify our respect for the law and the sentence that has been handed.”
Key Takeaways
- 11 soldiers receive 34-year sentences for abducting and killing four children.
- Judge José Suárez described the killings as a “cruel execution” and imposed fines and public apologies.
- The case highlights ongoing military abuses amid escalating drug-related violence in Ecuador.
The verdict marks a significant legal response to the military’s role in civilian violence, while Ecuador’s president faces mounting scrutiny over his security strategy.
