Ecuador national assembly passes gang-fighting reforms

8/6/2025 13:26

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.



The bill was backed by 84 of the 141 lawmakers who were present in the legislature. Forty-six lawmakers voted against it, 10 abstained and one turned in a blank vote.



Noboa, 37, who began a full four-year term last month, declared an "internal armed conflict" in January 2024 against criminal gangs, just a couple of months after he was first inaugurated as president.



Since declaring the campaign against gangs, Noboa has issued emergency decrees to put military boots on the ground alongside police, significantly ramping up security forces.



He has also overseen an increase in prison sentences for drug-related crimes and is pursuing closer collaboration with the United States and other nations for intelligence sharing and resources.



The new legal framework gives Noboa more freedom to redirect resources toward crime-fighting measures.