Ecuadorian football player Jackson Rodriguez is facing criticism after he hid under his bed while armed men broke into his house and kidnapped his wife and five-year-old son. The terrifying incident happened around 3 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23.
Rodriguez, who plays for Emelec, says he could only listen in fear as the intruders searched the house. He later looked out of a window and saw the attackers leaving in a gray double-cab pickup truck. The kidnappers had reportedly come to find Rodriguez but took his family instead when they didn’t find him.
This incident happened during a time of rising violence in Ecuador. The country has been struggling with crime from powerful gangs. Just recently, President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency in several provinces, including the capital city, Quito.
Rodriguez lives in the Mucho Lote 2 area of Guayaquil, a city that has seen a lot of violence. In one recent incident, 22 people died in a gunfight between gang members in the Nueva Prosperina neighborhood.
President Noboa has promised to fight back against the gangs causing chaos across the country. Meanwhile, Rodriguez is now asking the public and authorities to help bring his family home safely.
