Ecuadoran Soccer Star Pedro Perlaza Rescued After Violent Jungle Standoff

The national police freed Perlaza and another hostage following three days of captivity and an armed confrontation with kidnappers near Esmeraldas.

Pedro Perlaza, a 33-year-old defender for Delfin SC and former Ecuador national team player, was rescued along with a friend after being kidnapped on Sunday in Esmeraldas province.
The police located the hostages in a wooden shack in a rural jungle area near the Colombian border, following investigative efforts by the Anti-Kidnapping and Extortion Unit.
A firefight broke out during the rescue operation, with the kidnappers fleeing after exchanging gunfire; several suspects were reportedly injured, and three were later arrested.
The kidnappers had demanded a $60,000 ransom for the release of Perlaza and his friend, who were both found barefoot and described as having been mistreated but alive.
This incident highlights Ecuador's escalating violence tied to drug trafficking, with the country's homicide rate surging from 6 per 100,000 in 2018 to 47 in 2023.