Ecuador to vote in November on whether to allow foreign military bases, says Electoral Council

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QUITO (Reuters) -On Sunday, Ecuador’s Electoral Council approved the holding of a referendum in November for citizens to decide whether to allow foreign military bases in the South American country, part of President Daniel Noboa’s plan to combat drug trafficking.

The referendum will be held November 16 and will include another initiative to eliminate a provision requiring a portion of state funds to be allocated to political parties.

“We approve the call, guidelines, operational plan, budget, risk and contingency matrix, and calendar for the 2025 Referendum,” Diana Atamaint, president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), posted on X.

Noboa has said that drug trafficking gangs operate through international networks, so it is necessary to act jointly with other countries to effectively combat them. The United States has announced that it will maintain strong cooperation with the Ecuadorean government in its fight against criminal organizations.

But Ecuador’s opposition groups say foreign military presence alone will not solve the country’s security problems and that the government needs a clear plan to combat crime.

The coastal city of Manta hosted the U.S. military base for a decade until 2009. Since 2008, Ecuador’s Constitution has prohibited foreign military bases in the country, following a decision by leftist President Rafael Correa not to renew the permits.

Earlier this year, the former president said on his X account the move would be “an insult to our public forces and an assault to our sovereignty.”

“We do not need foreign soldiers. We need government,” he said.

(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Sarah Kinosian; Editing by Aurora Ellis)