A 19-year-old boy, Carlos Javier Vega, was shot four times and killed by navy troopers during a checkpoint stop in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city. The incident has sparked widespread outrage over the government’s “mano dura” (iron fist) policy, which aims to combat organized crime.
The government had labelled Vega and his cousin as “terrorists” who attempted an attack on the military checkpoint, despite the public prosecutor’s office clearing them of wrongdoing. President Daniel Noboa’s administration has refused to apologize for the incident.
Vega’s case is one of several human rights abuses under Noboa’s rule, including the deaths of four Black boys in December after being detained by the military. The policy has been criticized as authoritarian and disregarding of constitutional practices and rights.
Despite a surge in violence, crime rates have not decreased significantly, with many areas experiencing rising levels of kidnapping, extortion, and homicide. European officials credit Noboa’s crackdown for reducing drug shipments, but others question how these seizures were achieved given Ecuador’s lack of maritime port control.
The upcoming presidential election will test Noboa’s government’s policies and popularity. Many residents, like Laura Ipanaqué, the mother of Carlos Javier Vega, are calling for accountability and justice for her son’s death.
“I forgive those people because we’ve been taught about forgiveness, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be judged for all the harm they’ve caused us,” she said. The truth is, the soldiers didn’t just kill my son – they killed us too.”
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/06/ecuador-election-president-daniel-noboa