Ecuador’s Disappeared

Fault Lines investigates forced disappearances conducted by Ecuador’s military while waging a war against drug cartels.

Ecuador is in the grip of a violent drug war with record killings and the military deployed on the streets. As the government crackdown intensifies, a troubling pattern has emerged. At least 50 people detained by security forces have disappeared since 2024.

One of them is Jonathan Villon, a father of three taken by soldiers in broad daylight in December 2024. His family has video of him in the back of a military truck on the day he was taken, and he has not been seen since. Fault Lines obtained investigative files to trace what may have happened to him.

The film also follows the case of the “Malvinas 4”, four boys detained by air force officers and later found dead. Their case sparked outrage and led to rare convictions, but many other families are still waiting for answers.

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