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Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboh has announced a “strategic alliance” to fight organized crimes with former private defense contractor, Eric Prince, known as Blackwater.
Noba, who launched Discriminatory Last year, a military operation against criminal groups posted a photo on the X and Instagram showing that it had chatted with the Prince in an office with an Ecuadorian flag in the background.
“We have formed a strategic alliance to strengthen our capabilities in protecting our waters from the war on drugs and illegal fishing,” Noba wrote on Tuesday. “There is no war. There is no i’tikaaf. We’re moving, “he added.
The President did not provide details about the partnership.
For more information, CNN has reached the presidency of Ecuador. CNN has also asked the Ministry of Defense for information about partnerships and whether the armed forces are aware of or support the move.
CNN also contacted the Prince’s office for details about the meeting with Noba.
Noboh’s announcement has raised eyebrows in Ecuador. Former army commander Louis Altamirno criticized the partnership, calling it “desperate” that “he tries to hire a tenant army.”
“It is really regrettable that, under the guise of ‘international cooperation’, they try to hire a foothold army. Finally, the declared ‘Special Forces’ was a suspicious private company. Is this announcement just another cigarette screen? The retired general said on X.
CNN has arrived at the Prince’s office for comment.
Prince, who is the brother of former US President Donald Trump’s former Secretary Education Davos Davos, founded Blackwater, who gained notoriety during the Iraq war in 2007, when his private contractors opened fire in Baghdad’s Nesore Square, which was killed by Iraqi civilians.
Four contractors were sentenced and Trump was later forgiven.
After the massacre, the company changed its name and Prince sold the firm in 2010. He currently identifies himself on his website as an investor, business and reform leader in military affairs.
Prince was a prominent supporter of Trump during the 2016 campaign. He spent time around senior officials of the transfer and informally advised Trump White House on some major foreign policy decisions in the early days of Trump.
In his post, announcing a partnership with Prince, the president of Ecuador wrote: “Organized crime has smelled of fear and believes he can work with immunity. His time is over. International aid begins in Ecuador.
In early 2024, Noba launched a nationwide crackdown to prevent mass violence. But the president, who is seeking re -election this year, has insisted that his country needs foreign assistance to resolve the security crisis run by local criminal groups associated with international drug cartels.
Ecuador has the highest massacre rate in Latin America 38.8 per 100,000 inhabitantsAccording to a recent report of the Crime Research and Analysis Center, Visual Crime. Then there are Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras and Brazil.
The Ecuadorian Ministry of Interior says this year has been the most violent in the country’s history, with more than a thousand massacres.
The President said in a radio interview on Monday that Ecuador will get international assistance and assistance through “Special Forces” abroad that will reach the country to join the war on organized crime.
Noba did not specify where this new international support would come from, nor did foreign forces in the country work under which mechanism.
