US and Ecuadorian special forces in a launch zone in Manta, Ecuador, in 2022. Photo: US Army/Staff Sgt. Matthew Griffith.
Various images circulating on social media showed the arrival of US planes on the runway of the airport in the coastal Ecuadorian city of Manta on March 2. On the same day, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa held a meeting with General Francis L. Donovan, head of the US Southern Command, and Rear Admiral Mark A. Schafer, commander of US Southern Command Special Operations — part of a new, purportedly anti-crime offensive by the Ecuadorian government that includes curfews across four provinces beginning March 15.
The US also recently donated a Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules transport aircraft to strengthen the logistical capacity of the Ecuadorian Air Force. Similarly, several Boeing C-17 Globemaster strategic cargo planes of the US Air Force have been seen landing in Guayaquil for the transfer of specialized equipment. In addition, at the start of 2026, a B-52 bomber entered Ecuadorian airspace for the first time as part of a bilateral defense cooperation exercise.
This deployment is grounded in security agreements signed by former President Guillermo Lasso in 2023 and ratified by Daniel Noboa in 2024, which allow the movement of US Department of Defense aircraft and personnel within Ecuadorian territory for surveillance and control purposes.
This has been approved despite the Ecuadorian people’s rejection of foreign military bases on national territory, as made clear in the popular consultation of November 16, 2025.
The legal controversy centers on whether the presence of aircraft at Ecuadorian airports constitutes a foreign military base. Some argue that if aircraft are stationed there to carry out joint operations beyond national borders, receive supplies, and remain for several days within airport facilities, the use of that space may indeed qualify as a foreign military base. Ecuadorian authorities, however, characterize it as “strategic” collaboration.
Noboa himself justified the move on Tuesday via his X account: “We are starting a new phase against narco-terrorism and illegal mining. In March, we will conduct joint operations with our regional allies, including the United States. The safety of Ecuadorians is our priority, and we will fight to achieve peace in every corner of the country. To achieve that peace, we must act with force against criminals, wherever they may be. The pursuit of justice and national dignity will never be persecution, but rather a promise to Ecuadorians that we will fulfill.”
Regarding the meeting with the US Southern Command, the Ecuadorian presidency issued a statement indicating that the “visit is part of bilateral negotiations to strengthen cooperation and coordination in combating transnational threats that affect national and regional stability.”
“During this meeting, lines of technical and institutional coordination were reviewed, aimed at strengthening hemispheric security and addressing transnational organized crime and narco-terrorism, with a joint work approach that prioritizes the protection of citizens and the strengthening of state capacities, in strict respect for sovereignty and internal regulations,” the statement added.
It further explained that “joint initiatives are scheduled to strengthen controls, information exchange, and operational coordination, both at airports and port terminals, in order to identify risks and prevent criminal activities.”
This suggests the scope extends beyond joint operations against criminal gangs within Ecuadorian territory alone. Other political sectors have therefore questioned the legitimacy of these commitments, which could carry implications beyond Ecuador’s borders, particularly amid a military conflict between the US and Iran, as well as the political, commercial, and diplomatic tensions with Colombia that emerged following Ecuador’s imposition of tariffs in February.
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Is it Colombia’s fault?
Noboa has continued to blame the Colombian government for insufficient cooperation in fighting crime along the shared border, claiming the situation has cost the Ecuadorian state around $400 million over the past year.
The military authorities of Gustavo Petro’s government, however, insist they have taken effective action, citing the seizure of more than 50 tons of drugs, the interdiction of 40 illicit vessels, and the rescue of 60 ships in distress.
A post by the Colombian Ministry of Defense, cited by Petro on February 27, read: “Decisive blow to drug trafficking on the border with Ecuador! As part of the Ayacucho Plus Plan, the Army and Police dismantled a criminal network that operated on an international scale. The structure used the territory of the neighboring country to send cocaine to Europe and the United States.”
Last week, during a police ceremony, Noboa announced that a curfew would be imposed across four Ecuadorian provinces from 11:00 p.m. on March 15 until midnight on March 30, 2026. Those provinces — Guayas, Los RĂos, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, and El Oro — have the highest rates of criminal violence. States of emergency were declared throughout the same provinces in 2025, yet failed to reduce violent deaths.
Interior Minister John Reimberg has recently adopted the term “war” to describe the country’s security situation. On March 2, he stated emphatically, “We are at war,” urging citizens to “stay in your homes during the curfew; we are at war.”
For the government, Ecuador is at war against organized crime. For the population in the provinces under a state of emergency and curfew, this translates into an increased military presence and nighttime mobility restrictions during the second half of March, in addition to the loss of certain constitutional guarantees in the case of arbitrary detentions, as has already been reported in the past two years.
However, the figures for violent deaths and the criminal actions of organized gangs have not decreased. In fact, January 2026 is already considered the second most violent in the history of the country. January 2025 remains the most violent month in history, with 800 murders.
This January, 747 homicides were reported, representing a 6.6% reduction (53 fewer cases) compared to the same month of the previous year. Although there was a slight decrease compared to 2025, the figure for 2026 remains extremely high when compared to years like 2024 or 2023.
Moreover, while overall violent deaths fell slightly, certain other indicators worsened. For example, homicides of children and adolescents increased by 5%, rising from 48 cases in January 2025 to 50 cases in January 2026. Zone 8 (Guayaquil, Durán, and Samborondón) continues to experience the highest number of crimes, with 248 cases just in January, and 88% of the violent deaths during this period were committed with firearms.
(Diario Red) by Orlando PĂ©rez
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/DZ
