Ecuador in South America Closes its Borders to Combat Organized Crime

The Ecuadorian government stated that the closure of border crossings with Colombia and Peru responds “to national security criteria aimed at combating organized crime” operating in those areas.  On December 24, Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility announced that from that day forward, it would keep only one border crossing open with Colombia and Peru due to “national security reasons,” without providing further details. 

He assured that the authorized crossing to Colombia would be the one at Rumichaca, while the one to Peru would be the one located in Huaquillas.  That measure caused rejection in other border provinces, such as the southern province of Loja, whose tourism sector expressed concern about the impact that this could have on the local economy. 

Ecuador’s Border Closure

In response, the Ministry of Government stated in a press release that the decision is based “on technical and intelligence analysis” and that it “seeks to block criminal economies, prevent the use of irregular routes, and protect citizens from crimes such as human trafficking, smuggling, illegal mining, extortion, and contract killings, while simultaneously strengthening legal trade and the security of border communities.” 

Furthermore, he stated that yesterday, Saturday, they held a working meeting with mayors and representatives of the productive associations of the province of Loja, to coordinate actions “without weakening border control”.  Ecuador has been living under a state of “internal armed conflict” since 2024, declared by President Daniel Noboa to intensify the fight against organized crime gangs, which have been labeled “terrorists,” and which the government blames for the unprecedented escalation of violence that the Andean country has experienced in recent years, and which has led it to be at the top of the homicide index in Latin America.