Noboa says Ecuador’s ‘house is in order’

“We have put the country’s house in order and now it is time to continue the work,” President Daniel Noboa said Sunday in a radio interview. To back his claim, the president cited data showing economic growth, recent arrests of criminal gang leaders and new agreements with other countries.

President Daniel Noboa

“Consumer sales have increased 35% during the recent holidays while we are seeing strong industrial and commercial development in Santo Domingo, Quito, Cuenca and many other cities,” he said. “Security is also improving as many communities are experiencing much lower crime rates.”

He claimed that home and vehicle robberies have dropped by 30% to 40% nationwide in 2026, and that murders are down 8%.

“More than 90% of criminal gang ringleaders are now in custody and criminal structures are being dismantled.” the president said. “The country was rotten with crime when this government took office in 2023 and we have made it clear that this would not continue,” he said. “We are reestablishing order and our goal is to have a country of peace.”

Deflecting criticism of time spent out of the country, Noboa said his visits to China, Singapore and other countries have yielded “solid results and agreements that will benefit us in the future.” He said he continued his work with foreign leaders on his recent trip to Asia despite his family’s loss of a child and the death in a helicopter crash of his close friend and National Director of Intelligence.

The visit to China was especially productive, he said. “They are our second largest trading partner and maintaining friendly relations will keep the trade numbers growing.” He added that his recent meeting with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino was important not only for commercial purposes but for cooperation in the fight against “mafias and narco-terrorism.”

Noboa said he expects “numerical gains” for his ADN party in November’s regional elections. “We expect very good results in the sectionals and look forward to victories in prefecture and mayoral races,” he said.

In addition to the ongoing war against organized crime, Noboa said the country faces a serious test from the approaching El Niño. “We will face the emergencies that this brings and we will overcome them with the same resolve we apply to all challenges.”

“I have great optimism for the remainder of 2026,” he added.