Family of Ecuadorian Soccer Player Jackson Rodríguez Rescued After Kidnapping in Guayaquil
- Victor Nwoko
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
The family of Ecuadorian soccer player Jackson Rodríguez was rescued after being kidnapped from their home in the coastal city of Guayaquil, police authorities reported. Rodríguez, 26, hid under his bed while four hooded and heavily armed individuals forced their way into the residence in the Mucho Lote neighborhood early Wednesday, abducting his 24-year-old wife and five-year-old son.
Following their rescue, the wife and child received medical attention and were reported to be in good health, according to police commander Pablo Dávila. The kidnappers had demanded $500,000 for their release, but the family refused to pay. Rodríguez, who plays as a left back for the first-division club Emelec, provided a statement to police describing the terrifying incident.
Police operations conducted late Thursday successfully located the kidnapped victims in the El Fortín neighborhood, an area in northwest Guayaquil known for its high crime rate and a site of a massacre earlier this year that left 22 people dead. Guayaquil, located approximately 270 kilometers (170 miles) southwest of the capital Quito, remains one of the most dangerous cities in Ecuador, largely due to the influence of organized crime.
The kidnapping occurred during a state of emergency declared by the government across nine regions, including Guayas Province, where Guayaquil is situated. The emergency decree, issued to combat the escalating violence caused by organized crime groups, authorizes the deployment of security forces in affected areas.
Insecurity and violent crime have plagued Ecuador for the past four years, intensifying further in early 2024. From January to March alone, 2,345 violent deaths were recorded nationwide, with 742 occurring in Guayaquil. The city’s strategic ports have been a hub for illegal drug shipments destined for Europe, Central America, and the United States, contributing significantly to the region's instability.
Kidnappings targeting athletes are not unprecedented. In December 2023, Liga de Quito player Pedro Perlaza was kidnapped in Esmeraldas, approximately 182 kilometers northwest of Quito, and was rescued days later.
President Daniel Noboa, re-elected earlier this month, has proposed deploying U.S. special forces to assist in combating drug violence and has suggested legal reforms to permit U.S. military bases in Ecuador. Efforts to curb organized crime have led to notable arrests and sanctions. In 2024, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on the Los Choneros gang. José Adolfo Macías Villamar, alias "Fito," leader of Los Choneros, was indicted in New York for trafficking thousands of pounds of cocaine, although he remains a fugitive after escaping an Ecuadorian prison.
Additionally, Carlos D, alias "El Chino," second-in-command of Los Lobos—declared by U.S. authorities as Ecuador’s largest drug trafficking organization—was arrested earlier this year in Portoviejo.
The U.S. has ramped up its focus on dismantling criminal organizations operating in Ecuador as the country struggles with unprecedented levels of violence linked to drug trafficking and organized crime.
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