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Ecuador deploys 75,000 soldiers and police to combat drug gangs

March 16, 2026

Ecuador's government has deployed over 75,000 security forces to four provinces experiencing severe violence and implemented nighttime curfews as part of an escalated campaign against criminal organizations. Despite President Daniel Noboa's aggressive approach since taking office in November 2023, the country recorded its highest-ever murder rate in 2025, with killings increasing more than 30% from the previous year. Ecuador's position between Colombia and Peru makes it a crucial corridor for cocaine trafficking, with approximately 70% of the region's cocaine passing through the country.

Who is affected

  • Residents of El Oro, Guayas, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas provinces
  • More than 75,000 police officers and soldiers deployed to these regions
  • President Daniel Noboa's administration
  • Criminal gangs and drug cartels operating in Ecuador
  • Ecuadorean citizens experiencing record murder rates
  • Colombian and Peruvian cocaine producers using Ecuador as a transit route

What action is being taken

  • Deploying more than 75,000 police officers and soldiers to four provinces
  • Implementing night-time curfews in affected areas
  • Conducting joint counter-narcotic operations between Ecuador and the United States
  • Operating the FBI's first office in Ecuador (opened last week)
  • Working with the Trump administration to reduce cocaine flow

Why it matters

  • Ecuador's strategic location between the world's two largest cocaine producers has transformed it into a critical drug trafficking corridor, with roughly 70% of Colombian and Peruvian cocaine flowing through the country. This has fueled devastating violence, with Ecuador experiencing a record murder rate in 2025 that increased by over 30% from 2024, despite aggressive government countermeasures. The escalating crisis threatens regional stability and directly impacts U.S. drug supply chains, explaining the increased American involvement and the formation of a 17-country alliance to combat cartels across the Western Hemisphere.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC