Ecuador’s president Guillermo Lasso has set Feb 5 as the date for a referendum on security, political, and environmental issues. (AFP pic)
QUITO: Ecuador’s president Guillermo Lasso said on Tuesday that he had set Feb 5 as the date for a referendum on security, political, and environmental issues, including the extradition of Ecuadorans linked to organised crime.
Lasso, a conservative who took office in May 2021, has proposed the extradition of Ecuadorans involved in drug trafficking and international organised crime as a security measure.
Serving as a gateway to cocaine produced in neighbouring Colombia and Peru, Ecuador has seen a dramatic increase in drug-related criminal violence in recent years, with the country seizing a record 210 tonnes of drugs last year.
In Colombia, the world’s largest cocaine producer, extradition to the US has proven to be a particularly effective weapon against drug traffickers.
The referendum will be held at the same time as local elections, when voters will be asked to elect members of the Council of Citizen Participation and Social Control, which is responsible for appointing authorities including the attorney general, state comptroller, ombudsman, and members of the electoral council.
