Noboa to CNN: Ecuador “I would love” to have help from the US in the fight against gangs

Ecuador spoke with the United States about receiving support in the fight against criminal gangs, President Daniel Noboa said in an exclusive interview with CNN the first since victory in Sunday’s presidential elections (13).

“There are plans … We had conversations, we had options we would like to follow. And now we only need another meeting, post-election, now as president-elect, to consolidate it,” Noboa told Fernando del Rincón, from CNN on Tuesday (15).

Ecuador has been requesting foreign military support for months, stating that its fight against gangs is a “transnational war” that requires the contribution of several countries.

Noboa said that although his government would “love to have” American forces in Ecuador, he insisted that they would not be patrolling the streets. Instead, they would play a support role in Ecuador security operations.

“We would like to cooperate with US forces, and I believe there are many ways to do so, especially monitoring illegal operations from Ecuador, but control of operations will be in the hands of our military and police,” he said.

Ecuador has been preparing the land for the arrival of US forces, according to the plans obtained by the CNN . A high -ranking Ecuadorian authority familiar with the planning told the CNN Last month the country is building a new naval base in the coastal city of Manta, with the expectation that it “eventually is occupied by American troops.”

The US has already performed operations in the area. From 1999 to 2009, surveillance flights aimed at drug routes in the East Pacific in the extinct Manta Air Base.

Noboa said to CNN On Tuesday that seeks to reform the constitution to allow foreign military presence in the country again and is open to having military bases to help control illegal operations such as drug trafficking, illegal fishing and mining.

“This would help keep peace … as we did in the past with the blanket base,” he said.

He said the US was waiting until the result of Sunday’s election to resume negotiations.

Noboa won the vote against leftist lawyer Luisa González, campaigning with the promise of restoring security with a row-line approach and revitalizing the economy.

Noboa, who was born and educated in the United States, has been trying to increase cooperation with Washington on various issues – from trade to migration.

Regarding immigration, he says he wants to improve living conditions in Ecuador to encourage Ecuadorians to stay in the country rather than migrate to the US.

Asked if his relationship with US President Donald Trump is comparable to what Trump cultivates with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele – who agreed to host deported migrants from the US accused of violent crimes – Noboa said his situation is different.

“My case is different from El Salvador’s case. And we both respect each other. We both support each other, but at the same time, we have different realities. And we need to analyze things according to each country,” he said, noting that he invited Trump and Bukele to his possession on May 24.

Asked if another meeting with American authorities was on the horizon, he replied, “Yes, I think sooner than late.”

The National Police say the beginning of the year was the most violent in the country’s history, with more than 2,500 homicides. Data from the Organized Crime Research Center Insight Crime suggest that Ecuador has the highest homicide rate in Latin America, with almost double deaths compared to Mexico.

The increase was driven by drug trafficking routes, territorial disputes and alliances between local gangs and foreign cartels.

In March, Noboa also announced a “strategic alliance” to combat organized crime with Erik Prince, founder of the controversial private defense company previously known as Blackwater.

This content was originally published in Noboa to CNN: Ecuador “would love” to have US help in the fight against gangs on CNN Brazil.

Source: CNN Brasil