The kidnapping took place in the port city of Guayaquil, which is located in one of the nine provinces in Ecuador where a state of emergency has been in effect for ten days.
This is so that security forces can be mobilized in an attempt to crack down on organized criminal gangs, which are behind a wave of violence in the South American country.
Between January and March, 2,345 violent deaths have been reported in the country, of which 742 were in the region where the kidnapping took place.
The 26-year-old defender, who plays for the club Emelec, told the police that the men asked if he was at home before kidnapping his wife and five-year-old child.
Guayaquil is located in one of the country's most dangerous areas. Much of the drug smuggling to Europe, Central America, and the USA takes place from the ports in the district.
Other athletes have also been affected by the crime in Ecuador, which has plagued the country for a longer period. In December last year, soccer player Pedro Perlaza, who then belonged to the top club Delfín, was kidnapped in the city of Esmeraldas.
Three days later, Perlaza was rescued in the jungle near the border with Colombia, after a shootout between the police and the kidnappers, according to CBS.
