Ecuador president calls for referendum to allow foreign military bases | International

QUITO, Sept 20, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Ecuador's president formally called Friday for a referendum that he hopes will lift a decades-old ban on foreign military bases on Ecuadoran soil, as he seeks US help to curb rampant cartel-related violence. Daniel Noboa has staked his political fortunes on reducing record murder rates, but his country -- once among the safest in Latin America -- is still one of the most dangerous. The country's 2008 constitution banned US military bases and troops from Ecuadoran soil at the encouragement of leftist leader Rafael Correa. Noboa hopes to change that and has sought to develop close security and economic ties with US President Donald Trump. For years, the United States operated an important military...