Identity of bodies is still unknown; Bombs kill one at prison construction site; Noboa promises no new taxes; February election features 4,455 candidates

The parents and relatives of four Guayaquil boys missing since December 8 continue to wait outside a police forensics lab for positive identifications of bodies discovered north of the city on Tuesday. According to conflicting police reports, three or four badly burned bodies were removed from a wooded area near the Taura Air Force base, 30 kilometers north of Guayaquil.

Sixteen military personnel suspected of capturing the four boys remain in a military jail pending the conclusion of the police investigation. Prosecutors say the soldiers face charges of kidnapping and possibly of murder if the bodies at the forensics lab are identified as those of the boys.

Sixteen military personnel remain in custody pending the investigation into the disappearance of four Guayaquil boys.

According to police, a military patrol picked up the four boys near the scene of an alleged robbery at a Guayaquil mall December 8, but instead of turning them over to police, drove them to an area near the Air Force base where they say they released them.

The Guayaquil police command said Wednesday that DNA tests of the bodies would be conducted on Thursday if necessary.

Bombs kill one at prison construction site
One person has died and three more were injured Wednesday morning in explosions at the construction site of a new maximum-security prison in Santa Elena Province. Police are calling the explosions “terrorist attacks” carried out by criminal gang members. Construction at the site was temporarily halted pending an investigation.

The national prison authority, SNAI, claims that a group of armed men “violently entered” the construction area to detonate an unknown number of explosive devises. “This was a terror attack on the country perpetrated by criminals hoping to instill fear in the citizens,” SNAI said in a statement. “The intent was to weaken the government and stop its commitment to return peace and security to all Ecuadorians. In this respect, the criminals have failed.”

The prison, which SNAI says is almost 50% complete, is one of two planned by the government to house the most dangerous convicts. A second maximum-security facility is also planned for Santa Elena Province.

Noboa promises no new taxes in 2025
In a Quito radio interview Monday, President Daniel Noboa said he will not propose new taxes in 2025. “Because of the issues we faced this year, especially the crime and insecurity, we were forced to increase revenues but this will not repeat next year,” he said.

When asked about an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report recommending tax increases, Noboa said that additional funds can be generated through other means. “Yes, I am aware of this suggestion, but we are working on other ways of increasing collections, including improvements in tax collection and reduction of waste,” he said. “We are deveoping a new revenue plan and will review it with the IMF in January.”

Earlier in the year, the IMF approved a four-year, $4 billion loan package for Ecuador. Following the transfer of $500 million to Ecuador’s treasury two weeks ago, the IMF recommended that the government make permanent several of the temporary tax increases that went into effect in April.

Asked if he plans to reduce the IVA tax in 2025, Noboa said a decision depends on economic conditions. The National Assembly approved a permanent IVA increase from 11% to 12% but included a provision allowing the president to impose an additional 3% charge under emergency conditions, which Noboa has done.

February election features 4,455 candidates
The National Elections Council announced Tuesday that 4,455 candidates will compete for 339 elected positions in the February 9 election. In addition to the presidency and vice presidency, 151 seats in the National Assembly and 151 alternate Assembly positions will be decided. Five seats in the Andean Parliament will also be determined.

The CNE is developing a “Know your candidate” webpage that will be available January 5 on its official site.