Photo taken from the Universe. Taken by José Beltrán
Recently, one of my professors said something that left me reflecting and changed my perspective on politics. He mentioned that what costs the state the most is not commonly what bothers most citizens, such as high salaries or the privileges of certain officials, but ineptitude.
As soon as I heard this, many situations clicked in my head where the state’s ineptitude has negatively affected the quality of life for Ecuadorians, and how in a country so worn out, bled dry, and abandoned by its representatives, ineptitude has even cost us lives.
If you think I’m exaggerating up to this point, just put yourself in the shoes of the families of Steven, Saúl, Josué, and Ismael, boys between 11 and 15 years old who disappeared in the South of Guayaquil in Ecuador and who were allegedly captured by military forces on December 8th.
The minors were detained, mistreated, and transferred to an airbase 45 minutes from where they were apprehended. On the night of their disappearance, one of them managed to communicate with his family and alert them about what happened. The police intervened and went to the location; however, they only found belongings that belonged to them, and since then, there has been no trace of them.
It took thirteen days for the national government to speak out about it, fourteen days until the president mentioned the case publicly. While the presidential campaign does not stop, families suffer, and Ecuadorians fear for their own safety and that of their loved ones.
Although investigations are ongoing, inconsistencies in the official accounts have been noticeable. Initially, authorities claimed that military forces were not involved, then they admitted that the children were detained as part of an operation but that they had been released. Amid this confusion, the defense minister tries to position a narrative against the minors, while the president suggests calling them “national heroes.” Citizens are not interested in this media spectacle; what we demand is a clear response: WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN?
The case of the four children is not an isolated incident; in recent months, we have witnessed how government ineptitude and ineffectiveness have allowed highly violent situations, disappearances, and human rights violations to go unpunished.
In the previous article, I addressed how in today’s democracies, we need leaders who are willing to listen and act, because TikToks and magazine covers in such a complex scenario are not enough. State negligence not only represents the inaction of the authorities but also implies a deep disconnection between the needs of the population and state institutions, a gap that widens every time the government evades its responsibility to act with transparency and efficiency in crises of this magnitude.
So yes, government ineffectiveness kills. When a state fails to guarantee security, justice, and responses, it endangers the lives of citizens through action or omission. Cases like this reflect how state indifference perpetuates cycles of violence and impunity.
The reflection that leaders must now pose is: How do they expect society to trust a system that constantly fails to meet its most essential functions, such as protecting its population? How do they expect citizens to support them at the polls with their votes if they are not capable of committing in a real and genuine way to the defense and promotion of human rights?
What is indisputable is that Ecuadorian society deserves something better: representatives who are efficient and act with transparency and sensitivity to the pain of their people. Today, the hope of all of Ecuador is that Steven, Saúl, Josué, and Ismael return home safe and sound to alleviate their families' pain and restore, even if only to a minimal degree, the yearning for justice and security in our country.
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