Ecuador says open to US cooperation, ready to host US bases
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Ecuadorian President-elect Daniel Noboa expresses openness to US military cooperation and potential foreign bases in Ecuador, citing the need to combat drug trafficking and crime.
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Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa during an interview with the BBC in Guayaquil, January 19, 2024. (AFP)
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has expressed his openness to cooperation with the US armed forces and is willing to allow foreign military bases to be established in the country.
"We would like to cooperate with US forces, and I think there are many ways that we can do that, especially in monitoring illegal operations that move out of Ecuador, but the control of the operations will be in the hands of our military and our police," Noboa told CNN on Tuesday.
Noboa further explained that the presence of foreign military bases could assist in curbing illegal activities such as drug trafficking, illegal fishing, and mining, noting that such measures would "help to keep peace."
He also mentioned that while discussions on US assistance in addressing gang activities had taken place, Washington had paused negotiations until after Ecuador's presidential election, which was held on April 14.
Historical context and future plans
The United States has previously carried out operations in Ecuador, including surveillance flights targeting drug routes from 1999 to 2009.
In 2024, Noboa made it clear that he planned to amend the Ecuadorian constitution to allow for the permanent establishment of foreign military bases. The goal of these bases would be to support the government's ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and other international crimes.
In 2023, Ecuador's Foreign Minister Gustavo Manrique Miranda announced that the United States would receive permission to conduct military operations within Ecuador's land and maritime regions to address issues such as illegal fishing, human and drug trafficking, and fuel smuggling.
​Ecuador's prison system has been plagued by violence, primarily driven by powerful criminal gangs vying for control over drug trafficking routes. The Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil, the country's largest and most notorious facility, has been the epicenter of this turmoil.​
Noboa, who won the presidential election, will officially take office on May 24. US President Donald Trump congratulated Noboa on his re-election, praising him as "a great leader."
