Ecuador: Soldiers Sentenced to 34 Years for Boys’ Disappearance

Eleven soldiers in Ecuador have been sentenced to over 34 years in prison for their involvement in the disappearance and murder of four boys, aged 11 to 15, who went missing in December last year during a military operation against organized crime. The boys were allegedly detained by soldiers, beaten, and later found dead in a rural area. Families of the victims protested for justice, while defense lawyers claimed the soldiers were improperly trained and left the boys alive. Ecuador continues to face challenges from powerful drug cartels amid ongoing states of emergency.

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