Ecuador authorizes foreign troops with legal immunity amid security crackdown

President Daniel Noboa signed a decree that permits foreign military forces, primarily from the United States and the European Union, to operate in Ecuador’s most violent provinces with full legal immunity. The measure grants these troops protection from criminal and civil liability and allows the president to issue pardons and sentence reductions for participants in joint operations. Noboa presented the decree as part of an “internal armed conflict” against organized crime, but it has drawn sharp criticism for undermining national sovereignty and exposing civilians to potential abuses.

Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo later emphasized Ecuador’s broader security cooperation, noting “excellent” support from the United Arab Emirates in technology and advisory assistance from Italy on legal matters. He clarified that, while foreign troops may be deployed under the new decree, current collaborations with the UAE and Italy do not involve sending troops onto Ecuadorian soil. The cooperation is also linked to the U.S.-led “Shields of the Americas” initiative aimed at combating transnational organized crime, gangs, and illegal migration in the region.