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Jun 18, 20261
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Ecuador Renews Internal Armed Conflict Declaration to Combat Organized Crime
Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa renewed the country's internal armed conflict declaration on Thursday to combat organized crime and drug trafficking, more than two years after the initial 2024 declaration. The renewal aims to protect security forces from legal challenges, secure international cooperation, and enable potential pardons for military and police personnel. Ecuador recorded 9,216 homicides in 2025, its deadliest year on record.
Quick Facts
Who
Daniel Noboa
What
Renewed declaration of internal armed conflict
When
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Where
Ecuador
- Renewed declaration of internal armed conflict
- Announcement of 'total war' stage against organized crime
- Launch of coordinated military and police operations
- Grant of potential pardons and sentence reductions for security personnel
- Extradition of Adolfo Macías to the United States
Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa renewed the country's declaration of internal armed conflict on Thursday, more than two years after the initial declaration, as the nation continues to grapple with unprecedented levels of violence linked to organized crime and drug trafficking. The renewal aims to provide legal protection to security forces during operations against criminal organizations and to unlock international cooperation and potential pardons for military, police, and civilian personnel involved in counterinsurgency efforts.
According to the executive decree, an internal armed conflict can be declared when a country experiences "hostilities" between security forces and organized non-state armed groups of such intensity that requires deployment of military and police to confront and "neutralize" them. The declaration shields security forces from potential legal challenges while they combat criminal organizations and work to restore public order and citizen security. The government emphasized that the measure would preserve national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
President Noboa announced during a military ceremony on Ecuador's central coast that the country would enter "a stage of total war" requiring well-equipped armed forces and coordination with international intelligence systems and allied nations. While the decree did not identify specific partner countries, the United States has become a close ally since Noboa took office, alongside Italy and Israel. The government stated it would grant pardons, reduce sentences, or commute penalties for military, police, and civilian personnel participating in such operations.
The renewal follows Noboa's initial internal armed conflict declaration in January 2024, when he identified 22 criminal organizations as "terrorists." That declaration came after unprecedented violence erupted following the escape of crime boss Adolfo Macías, alias "Fito"—who was later extradited to the United States in 2025—including a violent takeover of a television station broadcast live. Since taking office, Noboa has pursued a "heavy-handed" policy against criminal organizations, declaring successive states of exception for joint military and police operations in prisons and across the country.
These measures have faced criticism from human rights organizations, which argue they enable government overreach, and from opposition sectors questioning their effectiveness. Ecuador recorded 9,216 homicides in 2025, making it the country's most violent year on record. Additionally, Ecuador's Constitutional Court has challenged and overturned some of the government's states of exception, arguing the government has not adequately justified the existence of an internal armed conflict.
Why This Matters
Ecuador's renewed internal armed conflict declaration marks an escalation in the government's fight against drug trafficking and organized crime, with major implications for regional security and human rights. The move enables military and police operations with reduced legal accountability, while offering potential pardons to security personnel—a strategy that could reshape how Latin American governments balance counterinsurgency with judicial oversight. For international partners, particularly the United States, this signals deepening security cooperation in a strategically important region; for citizens and civil society, it raises concerns about government overreach amid record homicide rates.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2025
WireAdolfo Macías extradited to the United States; Ecuador records 9,216 homicides, deadliest year on record