Ecuador’s legislature has approved President Daniel Noboa’s flagship anti-gang reforms, granting sweeping new powers to security forces and judiciary exemptions to combat drug-fueled violence gripping the country.

The bill, passed on June 7 with 84 votes in favor, follows Noboa’s January 2024 declaration of “internal armed conflict” against criminal organizations. The reforms empower the military to operate domestically alongside police, fast-track asset seizures from criminal networks, and impose up to 30-year sentences for gang leadership and collaboration.

Fuel theft and illegal mining—major income sources for gangs—are now punishable by equivalent sentences.

Immunity and Incentives for Security Forces

Under the new law, police and soldiers involved in security operations may receive presidential pardons and will be exempt from pre-trial detention, though their conduct will be evaluated every six months. The measure aims to protect officers from prosecution as they confront increasingly violent organized crime.

Economic and International Dimensions

The reform also introduces economic incentives for regions plagued by gang violence and expands Ecuador’s collaboration with foreign partners, particularly the United States, on intelligence and counter-narcotics efforts. Noboa, who recently began his full four-year term, has made the crackdown central to his administration.

Ecuador’s oil industry, already battered by fuel theft costing hundreds of millions annually, is expected to benefit from stricter penalties and enforcement.