First setback for Noboa: Ecuador says no to the new Constitution

BarcelonaIt's a setback for Daniel Noboa. Ecuador has rejected all the proposals presented by the president in a referendum that sought a profound reform of the country's Constitution. The "no" vote was resounding on all four proposals: allowing the establishment of foreign military bases in the country, permitting the financing of political parties with public funds, reducing the number of members of parliament, and convening a constituent assembly to ultimately draft a new Constitution.

The conservative leader, who was re-elected in April until 2029 with a comfortable victoryHe anticipated broad public support for his reform plan. But he has had to accept defeat: "We have kept our promise: to ask them directly. We respect the will of the Ecuadorian people," Noboa wrote on social media.

The resounding "no" in the referendum has been interpreted as a victory by the opposition, led by the CorreaismThe president, who arrived at the meeting worn down by internal frictions after suffering three consecutive defeats in presidential elections, two of them with Luisa González as his candidate, declared, "Ecuador has overcome hatred. This country has united to tell governments that the rights of Ecuadorians are not to be trifled with. There is a dignified people who today say no to your lies, to corruption, and to the destruction of the country."

A reform to legitimize the "iron fist" against organized crime

Noboa launched the referendum initiative with the intention of drafting a new Constitution to replace the one established in 2008 at the behest of former President Rafael Correa. This constitution, according to the current head of state, hinders the arrival of foreign capital and the creation of jobs, but above all, it prevents him from combating organized crime with a "tougher hand" in the "war" he declared in early 2024. However, these arguments seem to have failed to convince the Ecuadorian electorate: 61.6% voted against the referendum, compared to only 38.4% who opted for "yes." Noboa was also seeking a dramatic move to legitimize his policies following recent rulings by the country's Constitutional Court that struck down key laws from his new term, citing their express passage and provisions that violate fundamental rights.

The referendum campaign has been marked by prisoner transfers – including that of the former president Correa supporter Jorge Glas—in a new maximum security prison, with whom He was trying to copy the "Bukele model"Last week, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem traveled to Ecuador for the second time in just three months and visited the Manta and Salinas military bases to demonstrate the Trump administration's interest in using these strategic locations. Ecuadorians also voted against this possibility, with 60.6% rejecting it and only 39.4% supporting it.