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Ecuador internal security
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Noboa Extends Ecuador Security Measures as Homicides Affect Investment
On April 8, 2026, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa extended a nationwide state of emergency for 60 days, continuing the policy of military deployment and curfews initiated during the January 2024 declaration of an internal armed conflict. The decision followed a record-breaking 2025, during which Ecuador recorded 9,216 homicides and a national rate of approximately 51 per 100,000. While the first half of 2026 saw an 11 percent reduction in homicides compared to the same period in 2025, violence shifted geographically, with El Oro province experiencing a 63 percent increase in murders. The persistence of gang control and militarized governance has impacted the nation's dollarized economy, specifically affecting tourism, port traffic, and the cost of imported goods and fuel.
Ecuadorian Voters Reject Referendum on Foreign Military Bases
On 16 November 2025, Ecuadorian voters rejected a constitutional referendum proposed by President Daniel Noboa that included measures to lift the ban on foreign military bases, reduce the National Assembly from 151 to 73 members, and convene a Constituent Assembly. The referendum, which served as a contest between the 2008 Constitution’s framework and Noboa’s goal to implement a more neoliberal economic model, also included proposals for the extradition of Ecuadorians and changes to military support for police. The rejection of these measures signaled a significant political setback for the president’s constitutional and security overhaul efforts.
Families of missing Ecuadorian fishermen allege US surveillance involvement
Families of eight missing Ecuadorian fishermen staged a protest to demand information regarding the status of their relatives who disappeared at sea. The families alleged that the men went missing after reporting the presence of US surveillance in the area. They claimed the fishermen may have been subjects of a US drone strike or detention and sought formal answers regarding these suspicions.
Ecuador defends US sinking of vessels during joint anti-drug operation
Ecuadorian officials defended a recent joint operation with the United States in the Eastern Pacific that resulted in the sinking of three vessels accused of acting as refueling stations for drug traffickers linked to the Los Choneros gang. US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) stated the vessels were intercepted to disrupt illicit operations, while Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg described the actions as necessary international cooperation. Families of the 28 detained crew members disputed the claims, asserting that the men were fishermen and that no drugs were found on the boats. These incidents occur amidst an ongoing campaign by the Trump administration against maritime drug trafficking, which has recently included lethal strikes that killed six people in August 2026.
Ecuador defends U.S. sinking of three vessels in drug trafficking probe
On September 4, Ecuador's Interior Minister John Reimberg defended recent U.S. operations that intercepted and sank three Ecuadorean vessels suspected of drug trafficking. The operations, part of the U.S. military campaign known as Operation Southern Spear, involved vessels identified by the U.S. Southern Command as refueling stations for the Los Choneros gang. While the U.S. has destroyed approximately 70 vessels and killed over 220 people in the past year, the Ecuadorean Navy confirmed that 28 crew members from two of the recently intercepted boats were detained for transport to the port city of Manta. The government stated that the joint investigations were intended to disrupt the logistics of drug shipments destined for Mexican ports and the United States.
Ecuadorian Court Orders Arrest of Former President Abdalá Bucaram
On September 3, 2026, a Guayaquil criminal court ordered the arrest of former Ecuadorian president Abdalá Bucaram after a sentencing hearing for an organized crime case collapsed for the sixth time since July. The court issued the order for Bucaram, alongside co-defendants Jacobo Bucaram, Oren Sheinman, and Leandro Berrones, due to the former president's repeated failure to appear, citing ongoing hospitalization for heart surgery. Prosecutors allege the defendants operated an organized crime ring that trafficked 21,000 rapid COVID-19 tests and medical supplies during the 2020 health emergency. If convicted, Bucaram faces up to 10 years in prison for his role in the scheme, which involved the alleged assistance of metropolitan transit officers.
U.S. military sinks vessel allegedly used for drug trafficking by Los Choneros
On September 2, 2026, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) intercepted and destroyed a vessel in the eastern Pacific that was allegedly serving as a floating refueling station for the Ecuadorian criminal organization Los Choneros. The operation, coordinated with the Ecuadorian government, followed a similar action against a different vessel linked to the same gang on August 28, 2026. SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan stated the operation intended to dismantle logistics networks used by narco-terrorists, though the administration has not provided public evidence confirming the targeted vessels' direct links to trafficking. This action occurred under "Operation Southern Spear," a U.S. military campaign launched one year ago that has resulted in over 200 deaths in the Caribbean and Pacific to date.
Panama President Mulino Visits Guayaquil to Discuss Trade and Security
Panama President José Raúl Mulino visited Guayaquil, Ecuador, on September 4, 2026, to meet with President Daniel Noboa to discuss investment, trade, and security. The meeting followed a period of diplomatic engagement that included the resolution of a tax-haven dispute in 2025 and multiple high-level meetings between the leaders. The economic relationship is currently lopsided, characterized by a 2024 trade balance of US$6,286 million in exports from Ecuador—primarily petroleum—against only US$118.5 million in imports from Panama. The two leaders also addressed transnational organized crime and migration, building upon security accords signed by their respective foreign ministries in October 2025.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa governs under heightened security measures
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa maintained a focus on security by declaring an internal armed conflict against criminal gangs in January 2024 and imposing a 60-day state of emergency across 10 provinces and three municipalities in June. These measures occurred alongside deepened security cooperation with the United States, including joint operations and a new border security agreement. Criminal groups, such as the organization Los Choneros in Manabi province, continued to operate despite the state's mobilization. The situation highlighted a broader regional challenge where criminal organizations evolved to control territory and institutions, effectively operating as parallel systems of authority.
Ecuador Plans Joint Border Security Operations With Colombia and the US
Ecuadorian Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo announced plans for joint military operations with Colombia and the United States along the shared northern border, utilizing field teams with autonomy to act on “targets of opportunity.” The initiative, which incorporates potential unified command posts for surveillance, follows a shift in political alignment under new Colombian leadership and the US-led “Shield of the Americas” security initiative. This strategy addresses the significant rise in Ecuador’s homicide rate—increasing from 5.8 to over 50 per 100,000 since 2017—driven by criminal and dissident groups operating within the region’s coca-growing belt. Discussions with the US Southern Command are scheduled to finalize Washington’s specific role in this joint security framework.
Russian woman arrested in Ecuador for smuggling 32 marine iguanas
Ecuadorian authorities arrested an unidentified Russian woman at the airport in Quito on Saturday for attempting to smuggle 32 marine iguanas out of the country in a suitcase. The animals, which are an endemic and vulnerable species from the Galapagos Islands, were found in eight plastic containers and were described by the Ministry of Environment as feeble and dehydrated. The suspect was reportedly traveling to Iceland when she was apprehended, and police stated they expected to charge her with wildlife trafficking.
U.S. neutralizes vessel allegedly used for drug trafficking near Ecuador
On August 29, 2026, U.S. forces, in coordination with Ecuadorian officials, boarded and scuttled a vessel in international waters near Ecuador that was allegedly acting as a floating refueling station for the Los Choneros drug-trafficking organization. Marines and sailors from the USS San Antonio executed the operation without incident, detaining the individuals on board and transferring them to Ecuadorian authorities before sinking the ship via airstrike. This action follows a recent pattern of U.S. military strikes against alleged drug-trafficking vessels, which have resulted in at least 227 deaths across 68 operations since the campaign began nearly a year ago.
Ecuadorian Police Arrest 43 Suspected Gang Members and Identify 127 Phantom Banks
On 26 August 2026, Ecuadorian police conducted coordinated raids named Jericó and Factoría across four provinces, resulting in the arrest of 43 alleged members of the Los Choneros and Los Lobos criminal organizations. During these operations, supported by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Southern Command, authorities seized approximately US$1 million in cash, one tonne of cocaine, and a fuel depot for drug-smuggling aircraft. Simultaneously, the banking supervisor reported that 127 phantom entities had been illegally soliciting funds from the public between 2025 and 2026, with one entity alone accused of defrauding clients of US$50 million. Police identified three detained Los Lobos leaders as having direct ties to Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
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