Overview
- The order covers nine provinces—Guayas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Los Ríos, El Oro, Pichincha, Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo, Sucumbíos—and three cantons: La Maná, Las Naves, and Echeandía.
- The decree suspends the inviolability of homes and correspondence to allow immediate raids and the collection of strictly pertinent information to prevent or neutralize threats.
- Each intervention must be exceptional and case-by-case, justified by an informed report that specifies the need for access and prioritizes ordinary mechanisms when possible.
- Police data cited in the decree record 1,232 homicides in the affected zones from November 1 to December 23, 2025, an 18% increase over the same period a year earlier.
- The announcement coincided with confirmation that Roberto Carlos Álvarez, known as “Gerente,” will be extradited from the United Arab Emirates to face charges tied to the killing of 11 soldiers.