Ecuador Declares 60-Day State Of Emergency, Curfew Amid Security Crisis

BOGOTA (Colombia), Sept 17 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa declared a new 60-day state of emergency in eight provinces and three municipalities, alongside a nightly curfew in four coastal regions, as his administration escalates a militarised campaign against organised crime.

The executive decree issued Tuesday suspends the constitutional right to the inviolability of the home in the affected jurisdictions, authorising the National Police and Armed Forces to conduct warrantless searches and raids where criminal activity is suspected, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

The measures target the provinces of El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Rios, Manabi, Pichincha, Santa Elena and Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, with night curfews set to run from September 17 to 30.

Citing intelligence reports from the National Intelligence Center, military and police, Noboa declared a state of "serious internal unrest". Authorities warned that transnational cartels and gangs, including Los Choneros, have diversified their illicit revenue streams through extortion, kidnapping and illegal mining to withstand state counter-offensives.

The sweeping decree follows a record-breaking surge in violence. Data compiled by InSight Crime showed Ecuador's homicide rate climbing in 2025 to 51 per 100,000 inhabitants, the equivalent of one murder every hour, driven by violent territorial rivalries over key drug transit corridors.

The security push coincides with deepening defence ties between Quito and Washington. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently concluded a second visit to Quito, praising Noboa as a crucial partner in regional counter-narcotics strategy.

The US Southern Command announced that the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere intercepted and sank a "floating refuelling station" in the Eastern Pacific. US military officials said the vessel was providing logistical support for maritime smuggling runs linked to Los Choneros. Detained crew members were transferred to Ecuadorian authorities prior to scuttling the vessel.

Noboa has relied repeatedly on emergency powers and street-level military deployments since taking office in November 2023, aligning internal security operations closely with US intelligence and operational backing.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU