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Original article: Noboa le abre la puerta al Pentágono: tropas extranjeras operarán con inmunidad jurídica en Ecuador

Ecuador opens its borders to unprecedented military intervention as President Daniel Noboa signed a decree on Thursday authorizing the deployment of foreign forces, primarily from the United States (U.S.) and the European Union (EU), within the South American nation. This grants these troops a privileged legal status that frees them from any criminal or civil liability.

Justifying the move as a means to bolster the fight against organized crime in the provinces most affected by violence, this policy shift marks a dramatic change in the country’s security strategy, which had previously focused only on intelligence cooperation without the presence of foreign troops. The decision, which paves the way for Pentagon military presence in Ecuador, is framed by the right-wing president within the context of the «internal armed conflict» his administration declared in early 2024.

The legal instrument signed by Noboa not only facilitates the arrival of foreign military personnel but also establishes comprehensive legal protections that include criminal and civil immunity for these foreign operatives.

Additionally, it empowers the president to grant pardons and sentence reductions, a provision that extends to national police, military, and civilians involved in joint operations.

According to reports from TeleSUR, this legal protection has sparked a wave of criticism from social movements, political analysts, and opposition leaders, who label the initiative as an unacceptable subjugation to foreign interests and a direct attack on national sovereignty, allowing foreign forces to operate without the oversight of Ecuadorian laws. They have even reported alleged abuses committed by military personnel in the nation.

In an attempt to expand the legal umbrella of this measure, Noboa urged the National Assembly to process amnesty laws that would complement the protections afforded to security forces.

Noboa Militarizes Ecuador But Fails to Curb Violence

This controversial measure coincides with the activation of a new state of emergency for 60 days across ten provinces and three cantons, renewing a state of emergency that has become a recurring theme during his presidency.

The new decree, set to end on July 31, is the latest link in a chain of emergencies that began in January 2024. Noboa had promised that 2025 would be the year to end the crisis, but the data contradicts any signs of progress.

However, the escalation in the militarization of the country starkly contrasts with the outcomes in public safety. Ecuador closed 2025 with arecord number of 9,281 homicides, translating to a rate exceeding 50 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, solidifying the Andean country’s reputation as one of the most violent in the continent, despite the military deployment.

The context of extreme violence has served as a backdrop for growing concern among human rights organizations, which document ongoing abuses against the civilian population under the cover of states of emergency. In this regard, TeleSUR recalled the case of four Afro-descendant minors in Guayaquil, who were arrested by military patrols in December 2024 and later found dead near a military base. Local justice recently sentenced the soldiers responsible to up to 34 years in prison, although the new legal framework could open the door for these crimes to go unpunished if presidential pardons are applied.

Noboa’s decision not only fails to bring peace to the territory but deepens fears that the fight against crime may evolve into a scenario of systemic violations of fundamental rights.

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