Ecuador's electoral court set April 21 for a referendum on measures to tighten security, fight organised crime, and reform the constitution, it said on February 14, amid worsening conflict between government forces and criminal gangs.
The steps have been proposed by President Daniel Noboa, who launched a security offensive in early January to dismantle criminal groups he designated as terrorists. Noboa has also argued for legal reforms to expand the powers of Ecuador's police and military.
Ecuadoreans will vote on 11 questions, five of which concern reforms to the country's constitution, the National Electoral Council said in a statement. Ecuador, long a haven for foreign retirees, has been gripped by spiraling violence since the coronavirus pandemic battered the South American country's economy.
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