Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Rejects El Salvadorian Approach to Drug Gangs
In the wake of a new wave of violence in Ecuador that left 18 dead in six days, President Daniel Noboa has distanced himself from the methods used by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele in the fight against drug gangs.
“I think the way we should solve the problems here is the Ecuadorian way, not the Salvadoran way,” Noboa insisted in a statement released by the Communication Secretariat of the presidency.
The Ecuadorian president declared war this week on about twenty mafia organizations, with some 20,000 members spreading terror through prison riots, attacks with explosives, and taking prison guards hostage. In response, Noboa plans to build two “super maximum” security prisons with the capacity for over 3,000 people and establish prison ships at sea to isolate the most violent inmates.
Noboa, a self-proclaimed center-left president supported by right-wing forces, has drawn comparisons to Bukele, who has faced criticism from human rights organizations for his arbitrary detentions and authoritarianism. Bukele has imprisoned more than 73,000 suspected criminals under a controversial state of emergency, leading to the release of innocent individuals who were wrongfully detained.
“We are very strict against terrorism, corruption, but we also think about growth. Growth of society, growth of services, growth of commerce and the economy,” said Noboa, emphasizing the need for a multi-faceted approach to governance.
Despite the recent pressure from drug traffickers and the wave of violence, Noboa is determined to continue the fight. “I believe we are going to win and I will not stop fighting until we achieve it,” he stated.
As Ecuador grapples with the escalating situation, President Noboa’s decision to reject the methods used by his counterpart in El Salvador highlights the differing approaches to addressing organized crime in the region.