Ecuador Soccer Star Hid Under Bed, Wife and Child Kidnapped
It was just after 3 a.m. in Ecuador when armed intruders burst into soccer player Jackson Rodríguez's home, demanding to know where he was. As they questioned his wife, Rodríguez reportedly hid under the bed — too terrified to move — while his 24-year-old wife and 5-year-old child were kidnapped at gunpoint.
A Terrifying Wake-Up Call
The horrifying home invasion unfolded on April 23 in Guayaquil, one of Ecuador's most dangerous cities. Rodríguez, a 26-year-old left back for first division club Emelec, told police he overheard the attackers asking his wife about his whereabouts while he hid from view. Moments later, they dragged his family out of the house and sped off in a gray double-cab pickup truck, according to police chief Edison Rodríguez.
The kidnappers, masked and heavily armed, demanded a $500,000 ransom. The family reportedly refused to pay.
A Daring Rescue in One of Ecuador's Deadliest Neighborhoods
After nearly 24 hours of fear and uncertainty, authorities tracked down the victims. Police found Rodríguez's wife and child late April 24 in the northwest Guayaquil neighborhood of El Fortín — the same area where 22 people were massacred in March. Both were unharmed and received medical attention after their rescue.
Commander Pablo Dávila confirmed that the pair were rescued without any ransom payment. The operation was carried out swiftly, though no arrests have yet been announced.
Crime Wave Targets Athletes, Prompts State of Emergency
The kidnapping comes amid a surge in violence across Ecuador. Just 10 days before the attack, the government declared a state of emergency in nine provinces, including Guayas — home to Guayaquil — citing organized crime as the driving force behind a spike in killings, kidnappings, and extortion.
Guayaquil has become a trafficking stronghold, with gangs like Los Lobos and Los Choneros warring for control. From January through March of this year alone, 2,345 violent deaths were recorded nationwide — 742 of them in Guayaquil.
Athletes are increasingly being targeted. In December 2024, another Ecuadorian soccer player, Pedro Perlaza, was abducted in Esmeraldas and later rescued alive. President Daniel Noboa has called for U.S. military assistance to help fight back against the wave of cartel-driven violence, even suggesting that American bases return to the country.
Rodríguez's nightmare ended with a successful rescue, but the incident underscores the growing threat facing families in Ecuador's most violent regions. As organized crime tightens its grip, even high-profile athletes are no longer safe behind closed doors.
References: Soccer player's wife, 5-year-old child rescued after being kidnapped by gunmen during home invasion in Ecuador | Soccer Player's Wife and 5-Year-Old Daughter Kidnapped by Intruders as He Reportedly Hid Under the Bed in Terror | Soccer player's wife and child kidnapped in Ecuador during home invasion | Ecuadorian player's wife and child kidnapped during home invasion
