Ecuador is in the midst of a security crisis. The family of a professional footballer is also feeling the effects of the violence. After anxious hours, the hoped-for news arrives.
25.04.2025, 18:06
dpa
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- Unknown persons broke into the home of Ecuadorian footballer Jackson Rodríguez on Wednesday night and kidnapped the professional footballer's family.
- The woman and the five-year-old child have now been freed. The victims are safe, according to the Ministry of the Interior and the police.
- Ecuador is in the midst of a security crisis, with powerful drug gangs spreading throughout the South American country.
The wife and five-year-old child of Ecuadorian professional footballer Jackson Rodríguez have been freed after being kidnapped. The victims are safe, according to the Ministry of the Interior and the police. According to the police, the perpetrators had demanded a "large sum of money for their release". A video shared on Instagram shows the family being reunited.
Unknown persons broke into Rodríguez's home on Wednesday night and kidnapped the professional footballer's family members. The defender of the first division club Emelec is said to have been at home during the incident and hid under a bed, as several media reported, citing the police.
The kidnappers first banged on the door of the house in the port city of Guayaquil and then forced their way in. They asked Rodríguez's wife about him - she replied that he was not at home. According to reports, the 26-year-old sportsman saw the kidnappers drive off with his relatives.
In a statement, the Emelec association thanked the police "for their efficient investigation and operations".
State of emergency declared in 2024
Ecuador is in the midst of a security crisis, with powerful drug gangs spreading across the South American country. President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency at the beginning of 2024 and sent the armed forces into battle against the gangs.
