Ecuador spends 1.5 billion dollars annually combating organised crime
President Noboa revealed the annual cost of the fight against 80,000 members of criminal gangs. Experts question the effectiveness of the strategy.
Ecuador invests 1.5 billion annually in security whilst experts doubt the results
The government of Ecuador allocates approximately 1.5 billion dollars per year to combating criminal groups linked to drug trafficking, declared president Daniel Noboa on Thursday in statements to radio Élite, according to local10.com. The president specified that the country faces approximately 80,000 members of criminal bands and emphasised that it has international backing.
"We have to do our duties, our Armed Forces and our police," Noboa affirmed. Among the allies that have provided cooperation, the president cited the United States—which contributed equipment, economic assistance, information and intelligence—as well as Italy, other European countries, Argentina, Brazil, Israel, South Korea and Japan.
Noboa also highlighted the Shield of the Americas initiative, a regional coalition promoted by United States president Donald Trump to carry out joint actions against cartels. "Finally there is continental agreement on the fight against drug trafficking," expressed the Ecuadorian president.
However, the alliance with Washington has received criticism for its limited effectiveness in reducing crime. Diego Pérez, professor at the School of Security and Defence of the Institute of Higher National Studies, stated in dialogue with The Associated Press that it is necessary to "review indicators of social investment, what type of job opportunities are being generated" to neutralise criminal influence. He added that "the dynamics of criminality in no country are reversed with tough tactics".
The security crisis in Ecuador has roots that go back to 2021, when disputes between local gangs associated with Colombian and Mexican cartels over drug distribution routes triggered an escalation of crimes such as contract killing, kidnapping and extortion.
Noboa attributed the growth of drug trafficking to the lack of control on the borders with Colombia and Peru. The president pointed out that in southern Colombia, particularly in the areas of Nariño and Putumayo, there exists "a record of coca cultivation", with which Ecuador is left "directly affected, due to how permissive previous governments in Colombia were". According to the latest report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the area planted with coca in Colombia in 2024 reached 261,000 hectares.
The pressure on the Andean country is considerable: international organisations estimate that 70 per cent of worldwide cocaine is exported from Ecuador. Since the beginning of the year, around a dozen Ecuadorian fishing boats have been sunk by the United States in the Pacific Ocean, accused of serving as floating fuel stations in service of drug trafficking.
Source: Google News EC — Crime