History of the bilateral relation between the United States and Ecuador to tackle drug trafficking

Authors

Teagan McSherry, St. Mary's University
Luis Ramirez, St. Mary's University
Savannah Torres, St. Mary's University

Files

Digital Publisher

Digital Commons at St. Mary's University

Publication Date

Spring 2025

Keywords

substance trafficking; political-historical

Description

This research analyzes the evolution of the relationship between Ecuador and the United States on security issues, particularly in the fight against drug trafficking. First, the political-historical context in which the war on drugs emerges in the United States is described. Second, the US national security strategy is examined regarding Plan Colombia and the Andean Regional Initiative. Third, it is analyzed how the issue of combating drug trafficking varies according to the ideological tendencies of the Ecuadorian leaders, paying particular attention to the role of the controversial Manta Base. The proposal to reform the constitution is discussed, particularly Article 5 under the administration of Daniel Noboa with the aim of reinstalling foreign bases in Ecuadorian territory. Finally, alternatives to the militaristic approach to the war on drugs are proposed in future bilateral security agreements between Ecuador and the United States, through a comprehensive reform of the security sector.

Format

pdf

Size

1 page

City

San Antonio, Texas

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.