27 three years old in May 1983. In 1983, José Rubén Rivera Rivera’s family lived in the canton of La Joya, San Vicente Department,85 and, in addition to his parents, included his brothers Juan Carlos and Agustín Antonio Rivera.86 72. The State has acknowledged that, as of 1981, the civilian population of La Joya was affected by military operations that were initially carried out for short periods of time by small groups of soldiers. Thus, even though the population took refuge in the “mountains” when the operations took place, they could return to their homes from time to time. In 1982 conditions worsened because the presence of the Armed Forces became increasingly constant. In 1983, “the size of the operations increased massively.”87 73. One of these large-scale operations, mostly composed of members of the Fifth Infantry Brigade and soldiers from the Cañas Battalion invaded the canton of La Joya on May 17, 1983; consequently the families abandoned their homes and took refuge on the hill known as “El Moncholo,” also in the canton of La Joya.88 74. Mrs. Rivera, together with her three children, formed part of a group of persons pursued during the operation. Upon meeting up with her husband’s nephew, the youth José David Rivera Velásquez, she gave him José Rubén so that he could take José Rubén on horseback together with other young children; however, Ms. Rivera lost sight of them during the flight.89 75. At dawn on May 18, 1983, the Armed Forces entered El Moncholo hill. When that happened, José David Rivera Velásquez and the young children with him were surprised by how close the troops were. The children were seen by the soldiers, who decided to take José Rubén and leave another two children abandoned in the area.90 before the Asociación Pro-Búsqueda de Niños and Niñas Desaparecidos on November 24, 2005 (evidence file, volume VI, attachment 26 to the pleadings, motions and evidence brief, folio 3901), and Application for habeas corpus profiled by Margarita Dolores Rivera de Rivera before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice on November 10, 2000 (evidence file, volume VI, attachment 27 to the pleadings, motions and evidence brief, folio 3919). 84 Cf. Decision issued by the Ombudsman’s Office, supra note 70 (evidence file, volume III, attachment 15 to the application, folio 2212). 85 Cf. Decision issued by the Ombudsman’s Office, supra note 70 (evidence file, volume III, attachment 15 to the application, folio 2212). 86 Cf. Birth certificate of Juan Carlos Rivera issued by the Civil Registry Office of the Mayor’s Office of Tecoluca (evidence file, volume VIII, attachment 43 to the pleadings, motions and evidence brief, folio 5017); Birth certificate of Agustín Antonio Rivera issued by the Civil Registry Office of the Mayor’s Office of San Vicente (evidence file, volume VIII, attachment 43 to the pleadings, motions and evidence brief, folios 5020 and 5021); Statement made by Margarita de Dolores Rivera de Rivera, supra note 83 (evidence file, volume XI, affidavits, folio 7465), and Statement made by Agustín Antonio Rivera Gálvez before notary public (affidavit) on April 30, 2011 (evidence file, volume XI, affidavits, folio 7474). 87 Decision issued by the Ombudsman’s Office, supra note 70 (evidence file, volume III, attachment 15 to the application, folios 2212 and 2213). 88 Cf. Decision issued by the Ombudsman’s Office, supra note 70 (evidence file, volume III, attachment 15 to the application, folio 2213). 89 Cf. Statement made by Margarita de Dolores Rivera de Rivera, supra note 83 (evidence file, volume XI, affidavits, folio 7465); Statement made by Agustín Antonio Rivera Gálvez, supra note 86 (evidence file, volume XI, affidavits, folio 7475), and Decision issued by the Ombudsman’s Office, supra note 70 (evidence file, volume III, attachment 15 to the application, folios 2213 and 2214). 90 Cf. Decision issued by the Ombudsman’s Office, supra note 70 (evidence file, volume III, attachment 15 to the application, folios 2213 and 2214); Aggrieved party’s statement made by Margarita de Dolores Rivera de Rivera on November 15, 1996, before the Second Criminal Court of San Vicente (evidence file, volume III, attachment 43 to the application, folios 2408 and 2409); Testimony of José Vidal Rivera Rivas before the Second Criminal Court of