Ecuador national assembly passes gang-fighting reforms

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — A soldier searches for members of drug gangs, hidden weapons or drugs during a government operation to return homes, allegedly stolen by drug gangs, to their rightful owners, in Duran, Ecuador July 19, 2024. REUTERS/Santiago Arcos

QUITO  -  Ecuador's National Assembly on Saturday approved a reform backed by President Daniel Noboa to arm the government with new legal powers to confront armed groups and dismantle the drug-trafficking networks that fuel their criminal enterprises. 

The bill was backed by 84 of the 141 lawmakers who were present in the legislature. Forty-six lawmakers voted against it, 10 abstained and one turned in a blank vote. 

Noboa, 37, who began a full four-year term last month, declared an "internal armed conflict" in January 2024 against criminal gangs, just a couple of months after he was first inaugurated as president. 

Since declaring the campaign against gangs, Noboa has issued emergency decrees to put military boots on the ground alongside police, significantly ramping up security forces. 

He has also overseen an increase in prison sentences for drug-related crimes and is pursuing closer collaboration with the United States and other nations for intelligence sharing and resources.

The new legal framework gives Noboa more freedom to redirect resources toward crime-fighting measures. 

He will also have the power to pardon police and military personnel for their conduct in security operations. 

Officers under criminal investigation will also avoid pre-trial detention but will be subject to evaluations every six months, according to the approved text. 

The reforms as well introduce penalties of up to 30 years for fuel theft, which costs hundreds of millions of dollars for the oil industry. Authorities say this crime, along with illegal mining, has grown in recent years and is a key source of funding for criminal gangs. 

Assets linked to criminal groups can be directly seized by security forces, a significant shift allowing for more immediate confiscation compared to previous, often lengthy, judicial processes for asset forfeiture. 

Individuals who lead, belong to, or collaborate with these groups will face prison sentences of up to 30 years. 

The reforms also include economic incentives for sectors affected by the violence. 

 (Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Editing by Tom Hogue)