Ecuador seeks clarification from the US on the detention of a 5-year-old boy

The government of Ecuador has requested information from the US authorities on the alleged detention of a five-year-old Ecuadorian boy in Minneapolis. This was released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating that the case is being followed by Quito to 'safeguard the safety and well-being' of the child'. The note reports that the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis has 'immediately requested official information' from the US immigration agency (ICE) to clarify the circumstances of the incident and the current situation of the child.

According to initial reports, the child and his father were stopped by immigration officers as they were returning home after school. However, this version was partly denied by the Washington authorities, who claimed that the child was under guardianship after the father fled at the sight of the officers, leaving his son inside the vehicle.

The US Department of Homeland Security added that, in cases of this type, the family is consulted to assess whether the child should be repatriated with the parents or temporarily entrusted to a trusted person indicated by them. The Ecuadorian authorities will continue to follow the case through the consular network, in coordination with the US institutions, pending official clarification on the modalities of the intervention and the minor's condition.