Ecuadorian military non-cooperation hinders justice for disappeared persons

Amnesty International has reported that the continued militarization of public security and a lack of cooperation from the Ecuadorian Armed Forces are obstructing justice for victims of enforced disappearances. These incidents occurred under President Daniel Noboa’s ‘Plan Fenix’ along the Ecuadorian coast.

While some legal progress has been made, including the December 2025 conviction of 16 military personnel for the disappearance of four children in Guayaquil and a landmark Constitutional Court ruling requiring a public apology from the Air Force commander, many families still lack essential information. Amnesty International noted that progress remains insufficient as long as military authorities withhold information necessary for criminal investigations.