A serious incident has occurred in Ecuador, where Emelec footballer Jackson Rodriguez has reported that masked men have kidnapped his wife and 5-year-old son from his home in Guayaquil.
The kidnapping took place at around 3am on April 23, in the coastal city of Guayaquil, while the footballer himself was hiding under a bed.
The criminals, who initially stole jewelry and other valuables, asked his wife if the footballer was there.
According to police, Rodriguez saw the suspects leaving through the window in a gray pickup truck, taking his wife and son with them.
Police Chief Edison Rodriguez confirmed the incident and stressed that Ecuador has been going through a wave of violence in recent months, also declaring a state of emergency.
This kidnapping is an example of similar cases that have become frequent in Ecuador, where footballers have become the subject of kidnappings for compensation claims.
A similar event occurred in December last year, when footballer Pedro Perlaza was kidnapped in the city of Esmeraldas and found a few days later.