Ecuador Rejects Foreign Military Bases in Referendum, Dealing a Blow to President Noboa

Millions of Ecuadorians voted on Sunday to maintain the constitutional prohibition against establishing foreign military bases on national territory and rejected the creation of a new national constitution. The results of the referendum and popular consultation, promoted by President Daniel Noboa, marked a significant electoral defeat for the leader.

The president suffered a hard defeat in this referendum, where the 'No' vote prevailed on all four questions. Some 60.64% of Ecuadorians voted to keep the ban on foreign bases, which has been enshrined in the Constitution since 2008. It states: "Ecuador is a territory of peace. The establishment of foreign military bases or foreign facilities for military purposes shall not be allowed. The ceding of national military bases to foreign armed or security forces is prohibited."

Noboa had considered this measure essential in his fight against organized crime, seeking greater power to subdue the numerous criminal gangs. He bet on international cooperation under the narrative that an increased foreign military presence was necessary.

Luisa González: "The Homeland Said 'No'"

Former presidential candidate for the Citizen Revolution Movement, Luisa González, criticized the proposal, considering it a subordination to external interests. "We are a people of different cultures but with a value and a love for the Homeland that said 'No' to foreign military bases because they want to introduce us to international armed conflicts," González expressed, celebrating the victory of the 'No' vote.

Strengthening Ties with the U.S. and Blackwater

Since coming to power in November 2023, Noboa has strengthened ties with the U.S. on security and migration issues. He even received U.S. Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who toured the Manta and Salinas military bases to evaluate the potential deployment of U.S. bases in Ecuador.

However, the voice of the Ecuadorian people scrapped this initiative, recalling that the United States already operated a military base in Manta between 1999 and 2009.

In a similar vein, last spring, the Ecuadorian leader announced a "strategic alliance" with Erik Prince, founder of the private army Blackwater, to "strengthen" the local forces' "fight capabilities" against drug trafficking. This raised concerns from human rights organizations regarding the group's methods and the risk of violating fundamental citizen rights.

"The presence of these companies in countries under the premise of maintaining public order has not achieved effective social pacification. On the contrary, it has exacerbated conflicts, perpetuating their need and ensuring their income at the expense of the suffering of local populations," the Ecumenical Human Rights Commission (Cedhu) stated at the time.