Noboa: Ecuador captured 90% of criminal leaders since 2024
President Daniel Noboa confirmed that his government arrested 90% of heads of criminal organisations. Homicides and robberies recorded significant declines in 2026.
Crackdown on organised crime leaves 90% of leaders captured in Ecuador
Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa confirmed that his administration has captured 90 per cent of the leaders of criminal organisations operating in the country over the past three years. The offensive, launched in 2024, also targeted the economic and financial structures that sustain these groups, according to cadena3.com.
In an interview with Guayaquil radio station i99, Noboa clarified that authorities did not limit themselves to pursuing the direct perpetrators of violence. "We have also attacked criminal structures that are not just the hitman, the one who commits the murder, but companies that launder money, politicians who help them or are partners, judges who released them every time they committed a crime," the president stated.
Reduction in crime in August 2026
According to the president, robberies of persons, motorcycles, vehicles, goods and auto parts fell between 30 and 35 per cent in August 2026. Burglaries decreased by 43 per cent in the same period, whilst crimes against business establishments fell by 41 per cent.
Noboa linked those results to a positive effect on commercial activity. "It is not just in homicides; a significant reduction is observed in robberies and extortion, which facilitates an increase in sales. Thus, the improvement in security can be connected with economic improvement," he stressed.
Homicides down compared to 2025
Between January and July 2026, Ecuador recorded 4,882 intentional homicides, compared to 5,295 registered in the same period of 2025, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior. The reduction represents a sustained trend within the framework of the security offensive that the government has been executing for more than two years.
Noboa emphasised that pacifying the country remains the cornerstone of his administration. "We are here to restore order and show people that a peaceful country is indeed possible," he stated, in reference to the escalation of criminal violence that has affected Ecuador for several years.
Regional coordination as next step
The president noted that internal advances are not sufficient in themselves and that the fight against organised crime requires a strategy of regional scope. Greater coordination with neighbouring countries, according to Noboa, will allow the optimisation of results in matters of security in the coming months.
Source: Google News EC — Crime