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Massive security operation launched in four provinces
Ecuador has mobilized over 75,000 police officers and soldiers to four provinces plagued by violent crime, Interior Minister John Reimberg announced on Monday. The deployment marks a new phase in President Daniel Noboa's campaign against drug cartels.
Curfews imposed as murder rates hit record highs
A nighttime curfew has been enforced in El Oro, Guayas, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, where gang-related violence has surged. Despite Noboa's aggressive policies since taking office in November 2023, Ecuador recorded its highest-ever murder rate in 2025, with fatalities rising more than 30% from the previous year.
Ecuador's role as cocaine transit hub fuels crisis
The country's location between Colombia and Peru-two of the world's largest cocaine producers-has made it a critical transit point for narcotics. Approximately 70% of cocaine from these nations is estimated to pass through Ecuador en route to global markets, including the U.S.
U.S. partnership intensifies as FBI opens first Ecuador office
Noboa's administration has deepened cooperation with the U.S., joining a 17-nation alliance led by former President Donald Trump to combat transnational cartels. Last week, the FBI inaugurated its first office in Ecuador, shortly after the two countries launched joint counter-narcotics operations.
"We're at war. Don't take any risks, don't go out, stay at home."
John Reimberg, Ecuadorean Interior Minister
Trump urges military action at regional summit
At a recent summit in Mar-a-Lago dubbed the "Shield of the Americas," Trump compared criminal gangs to a "cancer" and pressed Latin American leaders to adopt military solutions. Noboa attended the event and later shared a photo with Trump, captioning it: "For too long, the mafias thought that America was their territory... Their time has run out."
Emergency measures fail to curb violence
Despite declaring multiple states of emergency and escalating security operations, Noboa's government has struggled to contain the bloodshed. Critics argue that militarization alone may not address the root causes of Ecuador's spiraling crime wave.
