Several government institutions have expressed their regret and commitment to discovering the truth after the State Attorney General’s Office confirmed the identity of the burned bodies found in Taura, 16 kilometers from a military base, like those of Steven Medina, Josué and Ismael Arroyo, and Nehemías Arboledathe four children who were detained by the military and who later disappeared and were murdered. The statements arise amidst social indignation and demands for justice.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Defense expressed its solidarity with the families of the victims, ensuring that the Armed Forces will fully collaborate with the investigations. “Since the incident became known, measures have been taken to guarantee that the 16 soldiers under investigation remain at the disposal of the authorities handling the case. No risk has been allowed to exist,” the institution highlighted. Those 16 uniformed men are now under preventive detention while investigations for the crime of forced disappearance occur.
The Ministry of the Interior also spoke out and emphatically rejected the crime: “The National Police will continue its work as an auxiliary body in the investigations directed by the State Attorney General’s Office, respecting international standards and current national regulations,” the statement said.
For its part, the Ministry of Women and Human Rights expressed its dismay and solidarity with the families of the minors. In their message, they stressed the importance of acting with sensitivity and respect towards indirect victims, avoiding any form of revictimization: “It is crucial that their pain is not aggravated by actions that violate their dignity or privacy,” the institution stated. Likewise, they announced the activation of comprehensive protection services for affected families and coordination with other entities to guarantee justice and reparation.
The role of the Armed Forces in this case has been under scrutiny since the participation of 16 soldiers in the apprehension of the minors became known on December 8. According to the Ministry of Defense, all those involved have appeared at the judicial proceedings without resorting to maneuvers that would hinder the process. “Since the incident became known, measures have been taken to guarantee that the 16 soldiers under investigation remain at the disposal of the authorities handling the case. “No risk has been allowed to exist, and they have appeared at all judicial proceedings without resorting to maneuvers that hinder the process,” the official statement states.
The discovery of the charred bodies in the Casa de Zinc compound, in Taura, marked a critical point in the investigation. Initial identification methods, such as anthropological and fingerprint analyses, did not achieve conclusive results due to the advanced state of decomposition and the conditions in which the bodies were found: tied and burned. Confirmation of identity came after DNA tests carried out by the National Service of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences.
The disappearance and death of Steven, Joshua, Ishmael and Nehemiah has shocked the country. Organized civil society remains expectant and demands concrete responses and a profound change in the structures that allowed a case of this magnitude to occur.
For his part, President Daniel Noboa, who in his last interview, on December 23, said he had proposed to a committee that the boys be declared “national heroes”9 days after that intervention and after confirmation of the identity, the president has not commented, nor has his press office.
Antonio Arroyouncle of the brothers Josué and Ismael Arroyo, spoke to the Ecuadorian press when the identity of the charred remains was confirmed, he claimed that the announcement about the results of the DNA tests had been disseminated after the hearing for the formulation of charges of the military involved. He also said: “We want immediate answers and for those responsible to be where they should be, in prison, not on military bases.”
