Assembly passes Noboa’s ‘solidarity law’ targeting the funding sources of criminal organizations

The National Assembly on Saturday approved reforms backed by President Daniel Noboa to arm the government with new legal and economic powers to confront armed groups and dismantle the drug-trafficking networks that fuel their criminal enterprises.

Ecuador’s National Assembly

The bill was backed by 84 of the 141 lawmakers who were present in the legislature. Forty-six lawmakers voted against it, 10 abstained and one turned in a blank vote. Among those voting in favor were six Pachakutic party Assembly members who have been threatened with expulsion by party directors for supporting government proposals.

According to Assembly President Niels Olsen, the bill will “provide the legal tools to dismantle the criminal economies linked to the internal armed conflict that Ecuador is experiencing.”

The legislation gives Noboa more freedom to redirect government resources toward crime-fighting measures and seize financial assets belonging to criminal organizations. It also gives him the power to pardon police and military personnel for their conduct in law enforcement and security operations. Officers under criminal investigation will also avoid pre-trial detention but will be subject to evaluations every six months, according to the legislation.

The bill includes a tax break for private businesses who make donations for equipment to the National Police and armed forces.

Critics claim the measure violates constitutional civil rights guarantees and limits the authority of the country’s judicial system to protect innocent citizens.

Noboa, who began a full four-year term last month, declared an “internal armed conflict” in January 2024 against criminal gangs, two months after he was first inaugurated as president. Since then, he has issued emergency decrees to put military boots on the ground alongside police, significantly ramping up security forces.

He has also overseen an increase in prison sentences for drug-related crimes and is pursuing closer collaboration with the United States and other nations for intelligence sharing and resources.