Ecuador Declares State of “Maximum Alert” Over Alleged Assassination Plot Against President Noboa

Image Credentials: Image Title: Ecuador Declares State of “Maximum Alert” Over Alleged Assassination Plot Against President Noboa Source: AI-Generated Image (Aiease.ai) Date: April 2025 Attribution: Created by AI-generated imagery (Aiease.ai), and it does not depict a real-world scene.

By Staff Writer with Agencies

April 19, 2025 — Quito, Ecuador

Ecuador is on high alert after reports emerged of an assassination plot targeting President Daniel Noboa, allegedly orchestrated by Mexican cartels in collusion with political groups defeated in the recent elections. The government has activated all security protocols and is working closely with the Armed Forces, National Police, and intelligence agencies to neutralize the threat.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Ecuadorian Ministry of Government declared a state of “maximum alert,” referencing the plot as part of a broader campaign by “criminal organizations” and “bad losers” who seek to destabilize the government. The threat reportedly comes in the wake of Noboa’s re-election victory on April 13, when he promised to continue his tough stance against the rampant cartel violence that has plagued Ecuador.

The government claims that certain political sectors, dissatisfied with the election results, have hired hitmen, or sicarios, from Mexico and other countries to carry out the plot. A leaked military intelligence report, which has made its rounds on social media, claims that assassins have already started entering Ecuador in preparation for the attack.

“The state is on high alert. All security protocols have been activated, and the Armed Forces, the National Police, and intelligence agencies are working together,” the government statement read. The report further highlighted the possibility of terrorist attacks, assassination attempts, and street riots through violent demonstrations, all allegedly orchestrated by criminal groups aiming to destabilize the government.

Ecuador accuses ‘bad losers’ of assassination plot against President Daniel Noboa and declares a state of “maximum alert” https://t.co/oVHjC6pPRI pic.twitter.com/HhidtIQYcR

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 19, 2025

The “Revenge of the Bad Losers”

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has alluded to the involvement of the Citizen Revolution Movement (RC5), led by his political rival, Luisa Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who has consistently claimed that the election results were fraudulent, has denied any involvement in the assassination plot. The RC5 movement is closely associated with former President Rafael Correa, a prominent figure in Ecuador’s political landscape.

Noboa’s government, however, suggested that the plot is a retaliatory measure by factions linked to Correa’s movement. “We have received intelligence reports stating that after Sunday’s elections, the transfer of hired killers from Mexico and other countries to Ecuador has begun,” Noboa said, referring to the alleged involvement of foreign assassins.

While the government has not named specific individuals or groups behind the plot, the accusations have fueled tensions in the already volatile political climate. Luisa Gonzalez, who contested the election results, took to social media to dismiss the claims, labeling them as “desperation” from the government. “They are just trying to silence us,” Gonzalez wrote on X (formerly Twitter), adding that “more persecution is coming.”

Ecuador’s Struggle with Cartel Violence

The alleged assassination plot is part of a larger pattern of escalating violence in Ecuador, where criminal gangs, often linked to international drug trafficking, have grown increasingly powerful. These gangs are believed to be operating in tandem with larger cartels from neighboring Colombia and Peru, the world’s biggest cocaine producers.

In one of the latest incidents of cartel-related violence, at least 12 people were killed in the coastal province of Manabi when gunmen, disguised in fake military uniforms, opened fire on spectators at a cockfight on Friday. The country has also seen other high-profile acts of violence, including the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023.

In response to the growing violence, Noboa declared an “internal armed conflict” in January 2024, marking a significant escalation in Ecuador’s ongoing war against organized crime.

Diplomatic Fallout with Mexico

Ecuador’s tense relations with Mexico have further complicated the situation. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who publicly supported Gonzalez during the election, announced that Mexico would not restore diplomatic relations with Ecuador while Noboa remains in office. Media reports have also suggested that Sheinbaum may have lent tacit support to the political groups plotting the destabilization of Noboa’s government.

The diplomatic rift between the two countries stems from a series of contentious issues, including Ecuador’s crackdown on cartels and its increasingly strained ties with criminal groups operating in the region. The support from Mexico for Gonzalez and her continued claims of election fraud has only deepened the divide between the two nations.

Opposition and Allegations of Fraud

Despite the government’s assertions, former presidential candidate Gonzalez has continued to claim that the election results were falsified. On Wednesday, Gonzalez announced that she plans to formally contest the results with Ecuador’s electoral authorities, accusing the government of widespread fraud.

Gonzalez has called the alleged assassination plot a “smokescreen” designed to distract from the “grotesque fraud” that she insists occurred during the election. The controversy surrounding the election, coupled with the ongoing violence, has left the country in a state of political and social unrest.

Looking Ahead

As Ecuador grapples with this unprecedented threat to its leadership, the nation remains on edge. The Noboa government has vowed to continue its fight against criminal organizations while working to restore stability and security. However, the political fallout from the elections, combined with the growing cartel violence, suggests that the challenges facing the country will only intensify in the months ahead.

Ecuador’s future remains uncertain, with both internal political divisions and external threats threatening to undermine the government’s efforts to stabilize the country and curb the violence that has marred its recent history.