By Alexandra Valencia
QUITO (Reuters) -A measure that would allow the return of foreign military bases to Ecuador looked set to fail in a Sunday referendum, as a count of close to 90% of ballots showed nearly two-thirds rejection of the proposal.
A separate proposal to convene an assembly to rewrite the constitution had more than 61% rejection with nearly 88% of votes counted.
The losses on the measures are a blow to President Daniel Noboa, who had backed both, saying foreign cooperation, including shared or foreign bases within the country, is central to fighting organized crime and that the current constitution, drafted under former leftist President Rafael Correa, must be revised to reflect the country’s new reality.
Once considered one of the safest countries in Latin America, Ecuador has become a key drug transit hub in recent years because of its location on the Pacific, triggering an unprecedented security crisis and battering its already-fragile economy.
Some voters had expressed sovereignty concerns over the possible foreign bases, barred in Ecuador since 2009, and some might have voted against the measures because of anger over Noboa's recent cancellation of a popular diesel subsidy, which led to protests in some areas.
The result could weaken Noboa, said political analyst Cristian Carpio.
"It was an erosion of his governance ... because of the diesel issue, the protests and disinformation," Carpio said, adding that voters may also feel fatigued after two recent presidential elections and other referendum votes.
Noboa said in a post on X that he respected voters' will and that he would continue working to improve the country.
Correa celebrated the 'no' vote on the constitutional assembly measure, saying the Ecuadorean people have now approved the current constitution twice - in its original approval 17 years ago and on Sunday.
Two other measures - one which would have reduced the size of the national legislature and another which would have stopped public funding for political organizations - also looked set to fail by significant margins.
"EXCELLENT PARTNERS"
Washington has praised Noboa as an “excellent partner” in efforts to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking, and Ecuadorean authorities said prior to the referendum that a 'no' vote on the military bases question would not derail security plans.
Noboa - elected to a full term this year on promises of an intensified and widespread crackdown against drug traffickers - ratified two agreements for joint military operations with the U.S. last year. The countries also maintain an aerial interception agreement, enabling drug and weapons seizures at sea.
The coastal city of Manta hosted U.S. military personnel for a decade until Correa declined to renew their presence. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently toured military facilities in Manta and an air base in Salinas alongside Noboa.
Between January and September, Ecuador seized 146.4 metric tons of drugs, down from 208 tons during the same period in 2024. Violent deaths rose more than 36% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025.
(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia in Quito, writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Stephen Coates)
