Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa used his State of the Union address on Sunday to highlight his government's US-backed crime-fighting strategies and improvements in some economic indicators. Speaking before the National Assembly in Quito, Noboa cited the extradition of a dozen crime bosses to the United States and the seizure of nearly 300 tonnes of drugs as evidence of a decisive approach to combating organised crime, the primary concern for Ecuadorians this decade.
“We will seek them out, find them and extradite them,” Noboa said of wanted criminals, asserting that the South American country cannot develop “if families live in fear” due to organised crime. Ecuador has struggled to contain drug violence since 2021, as rival cartels partner with local gangs and battle for control of smuggling routes and coastal ports used to export cocaine. The country is situated between Colombia and Peru, the world's top cocaine producers.
Last year, Ecuador recorded its highest homicide rate in decades, with 50 murders per 100,000 residents, according to the Ministry of the Interior. In response, Noboa, who was re-elected last year to a four-year term, has used a state of exception to deploy the military for various crime-fighting measures, including joint patrols with police and warrantless property searches. Earlier this year, Ecuador's military conducted a joint operation with US forces against a training camp allegedly used by Colombian drug traffickers, attacking the site with drones, helicopters and boats.
Noboa has faced criticism from civil society groups, who argue that his iron-fisted methods have failed to reduce crime while endangering civilians. Glaedys González, an analyst for the Andean region at the International Crisis Group, said on Sunday that Noboa may have been optimistic in his speech regarding security, but “progress on violence is far from being achieved.” She added, “It is evident that the situation in Ecuador has reached unprecedented levels.”
Noboa also promoted economic progress, telling lawmakers that poverty dropped from 26% to 21.4% in 2025, while extreme poverty fell from 10.4% to 8.4%. Noboa was first elected in 2023 during a snap election triggered when then-President Guillermo Lasso dissolved the National Assembly and shortened his own term.
