The Ecuadorean government has deployed more than 75,000 police officers and soldiers to four of the country's most violence-wracked provinces, according to the interior minister. The authorities have also declared a night-time curfew in these areas as part of a 'new phase' in their 'war' on criminal gangs. Since coming to office in November 2023, President Daniel Noboa has tried to quell drug-related violence but the country registered a record murder rate in 2025. Noboa has allied with the United States in a coalition of 17 nations aiming to combat criminal cartels in the Western Hemisphere. 'We're at war,' Ecuadorean Interior Minister John Reimberg stated, advising residents in El Oro, Guayas, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas to avoid risks by staying at home. Ecuador's location between Colombia and Peru, the world's largest cocaine producers, has turned it into a critical transit point for the drug trade, with an estimated 70% of cocaine produced in these countries passing through its territory. To reinforce these measures, the FBI recently opened its first office in Ecuador, coinciding with the launch of joint anti-narcotics operations. President Noboa's administration appears determined to take a firm stance against drug trafficking, as indicated by his participation in international meetings and declarations aimed at eradicating the influence of criminal organizations.