(MENAFN) Ecuador’s National Assembly gave final approval Tuesday to a constitutional amendment that would authorize the presence of foreign military bases within its borders. The initiative, introduced by President Daniel Noboa, seeks to strengthen international collaboration to combat transnational crime.

The measure passed decisively, securing 82 votes from Noboa’s ruling National Democratic Action party and its allies. However, the amendment still requires public approval through a national referendum, as stipulated for partial constitutional revisions.

“This reform paves the way for foreign military bases and enhances national security through strategic cooperation, intelligence sharing and technology transfer,” the National Assembly emphasized in its official statement.

President Noboa first presented the proposal in October 2024, targeting Article 5 of Ecuador’s Constitution, which currently bans foreign military installations or any military-related facilities on Ecuadorian soil.

This development occurs amid a worsening security crisis. In January 2024, the government officially declared an “internal armed conflict” against criminal gangs it designated as terrorist organizations.

During the legislative debate, ruling-party representative Nataly Morillo underscored the amendment’s necessity in addressing organized crime, drug trafficking, illegal mining, arms smuggling, and human trafficking, highlighting Ecuador’s limited resources to confront these challenges independently.

Ecuador has experienced a sharp escalation in violence in early 2025, with official data reporting more than 3,000 homicides in just the first four months of the year.

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