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2026-10-03 17:36 UTC → 2026-10-17 21:30 UTC ·
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In Guayaquil, Ecuador, police arrested a 16-year-old student after discovering a homemade firearm in their backpack. Authorities reported the minor had been recruited by organized crime groups through social media. This incident occurred amid rising violence against the educational community, including Following the deaths official publication of teachers in Huaquillas and La Troncal, leading the Unión Nacional de Educadores to criticize the government’s ‘Plan Escudo’ for failing to prevent violence in classrooms. To address these challenges, the Ecuadorian National Assembly approved a new organic law to prevent and eradicate the recruitment and use of children and adolescents by organized crime. The legislation, which passed with 88 votes in favor and 57 abstentions, amends 15 different laws, including the Penal Code. Notably, the Revolución Ciudadana party opted Official Registry on October 2, 2026, Ecuador has implemented significant reforms to abstain from the vote. Organic Integral Penal Code (COIP). The reform significantly legislation increases prison sentences for recruiters, raising penalties those recruiting or using minors for criminal activities from 10–13 years to between 22 and 26 years. To combat digital recruitment, protect whistleblowers, the law authorizes allows for the use of identity reserves, while judicial authorities are empowered to implement the temporary blocking of temporarily block IP addresses, domains, and URLs used for digital recruitment. This legislative action comes amid a critical surge in violence targeting minors. UNICEF reports that juvenile homicides rose from 79 cases in 2021 to promote illegal content. Additionally, 412 in 2024. Organized crime membership has also reportedly doubled from 40,000 to 80,000 members over the law mandates preventive measures, requiring educational and health institutions last two years, leaving an estimated 5,000 to implement protocols for early 18,000 adolescents at direct risk detection and protection. Local governments of recruitment. In the province of El Oro, authorities are also tasked with preventing on high alert following the display murder of criminal symbols near schools. Under a 15-year-old student. In the new framework, minors involved in criminal activities are to be recognized as victims, Machala district, eight students have been killed within the last ten months, with provisions for state-led reintegration, specialized mental health services, investigations looking into links between these deaths and social support territorial disputes between gangs such as scholarships, economic aid, ‘Los Lobos’ and recreational programs. Following its passage, the law was officially published in the Official Registry on October 2, 2026. The enacted legislation includes new provisions ‘Los Sao Box’. Analysts note that criminal organizations frequently use platforms like TikTok and economic incentives to encourage reporting by allowing recruit minors, often starting with small payments for transporting packages before escalating to the use of identity reserves to protect whistleblowers. It also mandates that local governments create ordinances to establish prevention measures in public spaces, specifically near educational institutions. firearms.