The Constitutional Court (CC) of Ecuador has decided to give the President of that country, Daniel Noboa, a free hand to implement, in accordance with the law, two military agreements agreed with the United States. on security issues signed by former President Guillermo Lasso before his resignation.
In the rulings published by the state media Radio Pichincha, they emphasize that since it is not established that the agreements between both countries “are included in the budgets of Article 419 of the Constitution”, their ratification to bring them into force to set “not done”. require legislative approval.” “.
In this sense, the court ordered that the two treaties be transmitted to the Presidency of the Republic so that the executive continues the relevant process and activates the agreement with the United States. in the agreement “relating to operations against illegal transnational maritime activities”; and in “relating to the Statute of Forces”.
These contracts, approved by six of the nine constitutional judges because three decided to save their votes, were signed by former President Guillermo Lasso in September and October 2023, before he left the government.
Now the Central Committee is making them viable amid the security crisis and criminal violence in Ecuador, which led to the decree on “state of emergency” and “internal armed conflict” published by the Noboa government in early January.
In addition, the lawyers' statement coincides with the visit of a US delegation. composed of the Presidential Adviser for the Americas, Christopher Dodd, and the head of the Southern Command, Laura Richardson, who met with Noboa and his Secretary of the Interior, Mónica Palencia; for defense: Giancarlo Loffredo; and Foreign Affairs Gabriela Sommerfeld.
These military agreements grant US troops on Ecuadorian territory a number of benefits, including tax exemptions, amnesties, free use of air and land space, free use of Ecuadorian radio spectrum and the carrying of weapons.