Ecuador's Battle: New Powers to Combat Armed Gangs
- President Daniel Noboa secured a National Assembly reform on June 8, 2025, granting stronger powers to combat armed gangs in Ecuador.
- This reform follows Noboa's January 2024 declaration of an internal armed conflict and state of emergency amid a surge in violent crime linked to drug trafficking.
- Ecuador recorded 7,872 murders last year with a rate of 43.2 deaths per 100,000 people, while cocaine production and consumption reached record highs globally, intensifying local criminal activity.
- Noboa's reforms include harsher penalties, asset seizures, expanded international cooperation, and military deployment, aiming to dismantle 22 gangs labeled as terrorist organizations.
- Experts caution that corruption and complexity impede clear solutions, yet the strengthened legal framework suggests a robust push to restore security facing persistent organized crime challenges.
23 Articles
23 Articles
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The citizenry suggests to President Daniel Noboa that in his new period focus his work in the areas of security, education, agriculture and economics for the well-being of the country.
Ecuador's Battle: New Powers to Combat Armed Gangs
Ecuador's National Assembly passed a comprehensive reform granting President Daniel Noboa legal powers to tackle armed groups and drug networks. The reform allows for military collaboration, increased penalties for crimes, and asset seizures. It aims to bolster Ecuador's security infrastructure and economic resilience against organized crime.

Ecuador national assembly passes gang-fighting reforms
QUITO (Reuters) -Ecuador's National Assembly on Saturday approved a reform backed by President Daniel Noboa to arm the government with new legal powers to confront armed groups and dismantle the drug-trafficking networks that fuel their criminal enterprises.
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