Ecuador Grants Security Forces Amnesty as Gang Violence Escalates

President Daniel Noboa pardons security personnel to intensify efforts against drug cartels in Guayaquil, where 22 were killed in recent clashes.

Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa announced a blanket amnesty for police and military forces operating in Guayaquil's Nueva Prosperina neighborhood following deadly gang violence.
At least 22 people were killed and three injured in clashes between rival factions of the Los Tiguerones gang on Thursday, highlighting the growing power of criminal groups in the region.
Homicides in Ecuador have skyrocketed in recent years, rising from six per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018 to a record 47 in 2023, driven by transnational drug cartels using the country's ports for cocaine trafficking.
Noboa, seeking re-election in an April 13 runoff, has adopted a hardline approach to combat gang violence, including declaring a state of emergency in seven provinces and deploying the military to the streets.
Critics, including Noboa's opponent Luisa Gonzalez, have raised concerns about human rights abuses by security forces, citing cases such as the recent discovery of four murdered boys near an army base.