Football player’s wife, 5-year-old child rescued after being kidnapped by gunmen during Ecuador’s family invasion

Police authorities reported on Friday that Ecuadorian footballer Jackson Rodriguez’s family was rescued after being kidnapped at the home of the coastal city of Guayaquil.

Rodriguez, 26, hid under his bed 24-year-old wife and 5-year-old son were taken away On Wednesday, there were four “Monds and armed men” who forced them into their homes in the Mucho Lote community.

Police commander Pablo Dávila said his wife and son were given medical care after they were released and were safe.

Davela added that the abductors demanded the release of his wife and son $500,000, but the family refused to pay. Rodriguez is a left-back who plays for Emelec, a first-division club.

Police operations later Thursday found two people near the popular “Elfortín” in the northwest of the city. The area is considered one of the most dangerous places 22 people were slaughtered In March.

Guayaquil is located 170 miles southwest of the capital.

The kidnapping occurred in a state of emergency 10 days ago by the government in nine regions of the country, including the province of Guayas to which Guayaquil belongs. The measure enables the mobilization of security forces in these territories to combat organized criminal groups, which authorities blame on waves of violence.

Ecuador “Los Freddy Kruegers” and “Peaky Blinders” – Participate in trafficking, kidnapping and extortion.

The government said insecurity and crime plagued Ecuador for four years, increasing in the first few months of the year. From January to March, 2,345 violent deaths were reported, with 742 in Guayaquil.

Port cities are considered one of the most dangerous areas in the country. From these ports, illegal drug transport was sent to Europe, Central America and the United States.

In the past, other athletes have been targeted. In December, football player Pedro Perlaza, who played for Liga de Quito, was kidnapped in Esmeraldas, a city about 115 miles northwest of Quito. He is Rescue alive A few days later.

President Daniel NoboaHe re-elected the second term of the election earlier this month, and he recommended deploying U.S. special forces to Ecuador to deal with drug violence and to carry out floating legal reforms to get our bases to operate in the country.

At least two well-known Ecuadorian gang leaders targeting the United States made headlines this year. Earlier this month Prosecuted in New York He accused thousands of pounds of cocaine imported into the United States. José Adolfo Macías Villamar (nicknamed “Fito”) escaped from a prison in Ecuador last year and was not in US custody.

In 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on “Los Choneros”.

Earlier this year, the leader of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s largest criminal groups, was Arrested at his home In the coastal city of Portoviejo. Carlos D, widely known as his alias El Chino, is the second appointment of Los Lobos and is “considered as a high-value target.” The Armed Forces said in a statement.

this Last year, the United States announced Los Lobos Become the largest drug trafficking organization in Ecuador.