Name: Move to allow foreign military bases in Ecuador fails in vote
Uploaded: 2025-11-17T15:03:02.691Z
Duration: 2 min 9 s
Description: 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 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.

Quito

Ecuadorian voters have decisively rejected a referendum measure that would have allowed the return of foreign military bases to the country, with nearly two-thirds voting against the proposal and almost 90 percent of votes counted. A separate proposal to convene an assembly to rewrite the constitution was also rejected by over 61 percent of voters.

The defeat of these measures represents a setback for President Daniel Naboa, who supported both initiatives as part of efforts to address organized crime and revise the constitution. Additional proposals to reduce the size of the national legislature and to end public funding for political organizations also appeared likely to fail by wide margins.

Move to allow foreign military bases in Ecuador fails in vote

Ecuadorian demonstrators celebrated in the capital on Sunday as the results of a key referendum came in. With almost 90 percent of the votes counted, nearly two-thirds of voters had rejected the measure that would allow the return of foreign military bases to the country. Opposition figure Luisa Gonzalez spoke at the gathering in Quito. Today, Ecuador united and said, no, you are not in charge here. There is a sovereign people who rise up with dignity and say enough is enough. Today, the history of this country is being rewritten. Today marks a turning point. Today marks a turning point and we are beginning to rewrite a new history that must be one of faith and hope, not hatred or fear, because we want a country where we can live with dignity, security and peace. A separate proposal to convene an assembly to rewrite the constitution was rejected by over 61 percent of voters, with nearly 88 percent of votes counted. The losses on the measures are a blow to President Daniel Naboa, who had backed both. He has said foreign cooperation, including shared or foreign bases within the country, is central to fighting organized crime. Naboa also said that the current constitution, drafted under former leftist President Rafael Correa, must be revised to reflect the country's new reality. In a post on X following the results, he said that he respected the voters' will and would continue working to improve the country. 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. That has triggered an unprecedented security crisis and battered its already fragile economy. Two other measures, one to cut the size of the national legislature and another to stop public funding for political organizations, also looked set to fail by wide margins.

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