Josué, Ismael, Steven y Nehemías: desaparición forzada, hábeas corpus y derecho a la verdad en el Ecuador de la excepción permanente. Análisis de la Sentencia No. 1732-25-EP26 de la Corte Constitucional del Ecuador.

Abstract

Abstract: This research analyzes enforced disappearance and states of exception in Ecuador, using the disappearance and death of the four children from Las Malvinas as a case study. It addresses enforced disappearance as a multi-faceted human rights violation; its classification does not necessarily depend on the discovery of the victim, but rather on the concurrence of its constitutive elements and the State's obligation to investigate and clarify the facts. Furthermore, it examines *habeas corpus* and its various forms, placing special emphasis on *habeas corpus instructivo* as a mechanism for searching, protection, and guaranteeing the right to the truth. Finally, the study analyzes the relationship between states of exception, the militarization of public security, and risks to fundamental rights, as well as the heightened protection of children and adolescents through an intersectional lens. The research highlights the importance of strengthening constitutional guarantees and limiting the exceptional exercise of state power in accordance with the principles of legality, proportionality, and respect for human rights.