Martinez expressed the concern of several social and human rights organizations with children and teenagers who have been arrested in flagrante delicto within the context of the internal armed conflict that the country is going through.

“We all share the need for the public forces to crack down the levels of violence and terrorist acts in Ecuador, but it turns out unforgivable that human rights be violated,” the activist warned.

According to Martinez, 10% of the population murdered in Ecuador are children and another large percentage have lost family members as a result of violence, or are being recruited by criminal groups.

The national coordinator wondered, “what do we do with adolescent offenders? Do we shoot them in the nut, as many say on social media? Is it okay to beat teenagers, mistreat them and treat them in a demeaning manner? The State cannot confront violence by using such violence, he warned. Martinez spurred the Executive to enforce the Ecuadorian Constitution and judge juvenile and adolescent offenders in accordance with the law.

Recently, the National Police alerted that at least 1,326 minors ranged 12-17 years old had left school in Ecuador to join criminal gangs.

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