QUITO — Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa decreed a new 60-day state of emergency on Thursday to combat organized crime, covering nine of the country’s 24 provinces and four municipalities, just as millions of Ecuadorians prepare for the Easter holiday weekend.
The latest emergency declaration affects the nation’s population centers, including the capital of Quito and the commercial western port hub of Guayaquil, which together house approximately 7 million of Ecuador’s 18 million inhabitants. The timing coincides with one of the country’s busiest travel periods, when families traditionally move across the country for religious celebrations.
Constitutional Rights Suspended
Under the new decree, fundamental constitutional protections will be suspended for the next two months. Police and the Armed Forces will extend additional powers to enter homes without prior judicial authorization and intercept private communications, marking a significant expansion of government authority in the ongoing fight against criminal organizations.
The Armed Forces will deploy throughout the affected territories to conduct coordinated operations with the National Police against criminal drug trafficking networks that have transformed Ecuador from one of Latin America’s safest countries into its most violent in less than a decade.
Geographic Scope Targets Drug Corridors
The provinces under emergency status are strategically located along Ecuador’s cocaine trafficking routes. Coastal provinces, including Esmeraldas, El Oro, Guayas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, represent the primary operational zones for criminal organizations dedicated to moving Colombian-produced cocaine to European and U.S. markets.
The decree also encompasses Pichincha province, where Quito is located, and the Amazonian province of Sucumbíos, which borders Colombia. Sucumbíos has become a focal point of recent military operations, where Ecuadorian Armed Forces recently conducted strikes with U.S. collaboration against Border Commandos camps, a dissident group from the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Escalating “War” on Crime
Since declaring “war” on organized crime in January 2024, President Noboa has implemented successive states of emergency with varying geographic scope, sometimes encompassing the entire national territory. The frequency and expansion of these measures reflect the government’s struggle to contain violence that has pushed Ecuador's homicide rate to approximately 52 per 100,000 inhabitants.
The most recent emergency decree included a 15-day nighttime curfew in four provinces, including Guayas province, whose capital of Guayaquil, serves as Ecuador’s primary commercial port and a critical node in the international cocaine trade.
U.S. Military Involvement Intensifies
The emergency declaration comes amid unprecedented U.S.-Ecuador security cooperation. In March 2026, American and Ecuadorian forces launched joint operations against designated terrorist organizations involved in narcotics trafficking, marking the first direct U.S. military participation in Ecuador’s internal conflict.
U.S. special forces are now providing intelligence, logistical support, and raid planning assistance to Ecuadorian commandos, while the FBI has announced plans to open an office in Ecuador to investigate organized crime, money laundering, and corruption in conjunction with local police.
According to Ecuadorian officials, approximately 70% of cocaine produced in Colombia and Peru — the world’s largest cocaine producers — transits through Ecuador before reaching international markets, making the country a critical logistics hub for global trafficking networks.
Strategic Timing and Political Context
The Easter weekend timing of the emergency declaration reflects the government’s concern about criminal organizations exploiting increased travel and reduced security oversight during the holiday period. Historical patterns show that criminal groups often intensify operations during major holidays when institutional attention is diverted.
The decree also coincides with growing criticism of Noboa’s militarized approach to security. While initial crackdowns reduced murder rates by 17% in 2024, violence surged again in 2025, with January 2025 recording Ecuador’s most violent month on record, with 781 homicides.
Human Rights and Constitutional Concerns
The suspension of constitutional protections has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, which note that Ecuador has been governed under nearly continuous states of emergency since Noboa took office. Amnesty International has documented serious concerns about arbitrary arrests, excessive use of force, and the militarization of civilian life.
Between January and June 2024, police and military forces conducted over 120,000 joint operations and arrested 34,945 individuals, though legal advocacy groups have raised questions about due process and the legal status of many detainees.
The indefinite nature of successive emergency declarations violates international human rights standards, which establish that such measures should be exceptional and temporary, according to human rights organizations.
Regional Implications
Ecuador’s crisis has created tensions with neighboring Colombia, particularly after Ecuadorian forces conducted cross-border operations that Colombian President Gustavo Petro claimed resulted in bombing of Colombian territory. The dispute has escalated into a trade war, with both countries imposing 30 percent tariffs on each other’s products in January.
For the United States, Ecuador represents a critical front in hemispheric anti-drug efforts. The U.S. Southern Command has praised Ecuadorian forces’ commitment while emphasizing that regional cooperation is essential for defeating what American officials term “narco-terrorism.”
Institutional Transformation
Since declaring an “internal armed conflict” in January 2024, Noboa has fundamentally altered Ecuador’s governance structure. The military has assumed control of the prison system, while emergency powers have become the norm rather than the exception in large portions of the country.
This transformation reflects broader regional trends toward militarized responses to organized crime, following models established by El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, whom Noboa has cited as an influence despite publicly downplaying comparisons.
Economic and Social Impact
The ongoing security crisis has disrupted Ecuador’s economy and daily life. Schools have suspended in-person classes during emergency periods, businesses have closed early or relocated operations, and transportation networks face regular restrictions.
Tourism, a significant economic sector, has suffered as international governments issue travel advisories warning against visits to affected provinces. The U.S. State Department currently maintains Level 3 and Level 4 travel warnings for various Ecuadorian provinces.
Looking Ahead
As Ecuador enters its third year under Noboa’s “war” on organized crime, the effectiveness of militarized responses remains questionable. While initial operations succeeded in capturing high-profile criminal leaders, including Los Choneros leader “Fito” and Los Lobos leader “Pipo,” violence has continued to surge.
The latest 60-day emergency period will serve as another test of whether expanded military powers and intensified U.S. cooperation can achieve sustainable security improvements or whether Ecuador’s approach risks becoming, in the words of security analysts, “a war without end.”
For millions of Ecuadorians preparing for Easter travels, the new emergency decree represents both a promise of enhanced protection and a reminder of how profoundly organized crime has transformed their country’s political and social landscape.
Sociedad Media continues tracking Ecuador’s security crisis and its implications for regional stability. As violence spills across borders and U.S. military involvement deepens, we remain committed to covering developments that affect Latin American democracies and the rule of law
