Ecuador’s Noboa hosts US Homeland Security Secretary to discuss cooperation
Thursday, November 6th 2025 – 10:47 UTC
It was Noem’s second trip to Ecuador this year
Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa met on Wednesday with US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem at the former Eloy Alfaro military base in Manta, Manabí province. The meeting aimed to advance bilateral cooperation against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime, with a focus on assessing technological and infrastructural capabilities.
The visit, which included a tour of the base’s runways, platforms, and aircraft equipment, comes amid Noboa’s push for a constitutional referendum that could permit the establishment of foreign military bases in the South American country.
The central goal was to review technological capabilities for detecting threats across large areas, including territorial waters and borders. The officials specifically explored the possibility of establishing potential Homeland Security bases in Ecuador, within the framework of strengthening cooperation while respecting national sovereignty.
Local officials, including Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo, highlighted the location’s history, noting the Manta base previously operated as a Forward Operating Location (FOL) for the US Southern Command until 2009.
Noboa affirmed his nation’s commitment on social media, declaring: Ecuador will end drug trafficking from Manabí and Santa Elena. The cooperation initiative is vital given the sharp rise in violence in Ecuador. Official data for the first half of 2025 shows 4,619 homicides, a 47% increase compared to 2024.
Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld and Interior Minister John Reimberg emphasized that transnational crime ignores borders, making international collaboration essential. US support includes not only equipment and materiel but also shared training and courses on combating drug trafficking and terrorism.
This is Noem’s second visit this year. In July, the US Customs and Border Protection and the Ecuadorean government signed an agreement for aerial and coastal surveillance. The visit takes place just before the November 16 referendum and popular consultation, where the potential elimination of the constitutional prohibition on foreign military bases will be voted on, among other things. Noboa has expressed aspirations for US facilities in Manta or Salinas.
On Thursday, Secretary Noem is scheduled to visit the Cosme Rennella air base in Salinas, Santa Elena, to solidify technical cooperation mechanisms.
