Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa used his State of the Union speech to highlight his crime-fighting strategies, which are backed by the United States, as well as improvements to the economy.

Extraditions and Drug Seizures Cited

Addressing the National Assembly in Quito on Sunday, Noboa cited the extradition of a dozen crime bosses to the U.S. and the seizure of nearly 300 tonnes of drugs as evidence of his decisive and effective approach to combating crime.

“We will seek them out, find them and extradite them,” Noboa said of wanted criminals, and he also stated that the country cannot develop “if families live in fear.”

Crime and Violence in Ecuador

Organized crime is the top concern for Ecuadorians this decade, following a spike in homicides during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2021. The country has struggled to contain drug-related violence as rival cartels partner with local gangs to battle for control of smuggling routes and coastal ports.

Ecuador, located between Colombia and Peru—the world’s top cocaine-producing countries,recorded its highest homicide rate in decades in 2025, with about 50 murders for every 100,000 residents, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

In response to the violence. Noboa, who was re-elected in 2024 for a four-year term, has used a state of exception to authorize the military to implement crime-fighting strategies, and these include joint patrols with police officers and property searches without warrants.

Earlier this year, Ecuador’s military conducted an operation with U.S. forces targeting a training camp allegedly used by Colombian drug traffickers, as the operation involved drones, helicopters, and boats.

Criticism and Economic Claims

Despite these efforts, Noboa’s approach has faced criticism from civil society groups, who argue that his strict methods have not reduced crime and have instead endangered civilians.

Glaedys Gonzalez. An analyst for the Andean region at the International Crisis Group, questioned the optimism in Noboa’s speech regarding the country’s security, “Progress on violence is far from being achieved,” she said. “It is evident that the situation in Ecuador has reached first-ever levels.”

Noboa also highlighted economic progress in his speech, stating that poverty dropped from 26 percent to 21.4 percent in 2025, Extreme poverty also decreased from 10.4 percent to 8.4 percent during the same period.

Noboa was first elected in 2023 during a snap election triggered by then-President Guillermo Lasso, who dissolved the National Assembly and shortened his own term.