Ecuadorans are today to vote on whether to allow the return of foreign military bases and the drafting of a new constitution that could give the country’s president more power.
Voters are to decide on the presence of foreign military bases, which have been banned on Ecuadoran soil since 2008. A “yes” vote would likely bring the return of the US military to the Manta air base on the Pacific coast — once a hub for US anti-drug operations.
Other questions concern ending public funding for political parties, reducing the number of lawmakers and creating an elected body that would draft a new constitution.
Photo: AFP
It is likely to be dominated by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa’s allies, given his approval rating of about 56 percent.
Noboa said the constitution, at 400-plus articles, is too long and has “many errors,” but he has been coy about what parts of the constitution he would like to change, leading to allegations he wants to consolidate power and curb rights.
Noboa is seeking support for his aggressive stance against drug cartels, after courts blocked several of his initiatives for contravening fundamental rights. He has expressed the need to crack down on “criminals” and put them in the “worst prisons.”
The vote takes place amid unprecedented violence sparked by turf wars and side hustles of drug trafficking gangs.
Noboa has deployed soldiers on the streets and in prisons, launched dramatic raids on drug strongholds and declared frequent states of emergency. He has also posted images of hundreds of inmates being moved to a new mega-prison.
Still, in the first half of this year, there were 4,619 murders — the “highest in recent history,” the Organized Crime Observatory said.
Once much safer, Ecuador now has one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America and many would like to give Noboa freer rein.
“When criminals are caught, judges release them right away,” said Juan Carlos Azogue, a 46-year-old security guard who plans to vote “yes.” “Laws and the constitution should change.”
Jhonny Tamayo, a 40-year-old university professor who marched for the “no” campaign, said he opposes “the lies of this government that blames the constitution for its failure to fight crime.”
Experts expect Noboa to try to curb the power of the constitutional court and facilitate trade agreements, among other measures.
Noboa aims to reshape the state and economic model to give more space to the private sector.
The vote comes amid US President Donald Trump authorizing frequent strikes in the Pacific and Caribbean. Many Latin American governments are opposed, but Ecuador has become one of Washington’s top champions in the region.
“We need cooperation from other countries, because crime is transnational,” Noboa said.
Pollster Cedatos said 61 percent of respondents support a “yes” vote on foreign bases.
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