Ecuador’s President Doubles Down on Drug Trafficking Efforts
Ecuador’s President, Daniel Novoa, made a commitment on Wednesday to enforce Article 26 of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to tackle drug trafficking routes from the coastal regions of Manabí and Santa Elena to the United States. This comes as Kristi Noem prepares to visit Ecuador.
Just before her arrival on Wednesday, Kristi Noem met with President Novoa. This two-day trip marks her second visit to Ecuador this year. During discussions, officials pondered the possibility of setting up homeland security bases in the coastal cities of Manta and Salinas, noting their crucial access to the Pacific and the available infrastructure. These moves align with Novoa’s strategy against organized transnational crime.
Novoa and Noem also visited the Ecuadorian Air Force Base in Manta, which played a role in U.S. anti-drug operations from 1999 until the base closed in 2009 under a previous socialist government. They reportedly held a private meeting at the base, where, interestingly, a past president, Rafael Correa, was implicated in its operation.
Looking ahead, the Novoa administration plans to hold a referendum on November 16 to ask voters if they support reversing a constitutional amendment that prohibits foreign military bases. Another question will address the funding of political parties by the state.
The Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that Noem’s visit aims to strengthen cooperation between security agencies in both nations in their fight against transnational organized crime.
Following her tour of the Manta air base, Noem went to Salinas in Santa Elena, where she engaged in horseback riding with President Novoa and his wife. She later inspected the Cosme Rennella Barbat Military Aviation School, contemplating the establishment of a potential U.S. military base.
Novoa, who took office for the first time in 2023 after winning a snap election, has been vocal about seeking a security alliance with the U.S. to combat gang violence and drug trafficking, even meeting with Donald Trump earlier this year. Reports suggest that Novoa is keen to arrange another meeting with Trump as the referendum date approaches.
In a statement by Ecuadorian Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo, he noted the importance of their ongoing cooperation with the U.S. in addressing drug trafficking challenges.
Local media have reported that the Ecuadorian military has identified numerous secret drug-trafficking routes used to transport cocaine to Central America, with planes regularly flying from Ecuador to destinations like Costa Rica and Guatemala. While efforts have been made to dismantle these operations, traffickers have reportedly been quick to rebuild their infrastructure.
Recent reports indicate that the coastal regions of Manabí, Santa Elena, and Guayas have become crucial for drug trafficking, which has corresponded with a surge in violence among criminal organizations.
