At the beginning of March, Noboa announced to the country a “strategic alliance with Prince To “strengthen” the abilities in the fight against Organized crime and drug trafficking. But he gave no more details about the specific function that the company of the ex -military was going to fulfill.
Saturday, Prince was in Guayaquil accompanied by the defense ministers, Gian Carlo Loffredo; And inside, John Reimberg. In images disseminated by the media and authorities, it can be seen surrounded by military and police during the Operation called “Apollo 13”which was executed in the neighborhood Portete.
Erik Prince (left) participates in an operation against organized crime with more than 500 police and military in Ecuador, where he accompanied the interior ministers, John Reimberg, and Defense, Gian Carlo Loffredo. (EFE/ Mauricio Torres).
More than 600 police and military participated in the raid. During that action, housing and four clandestine rehabilitation clinics whose inmates would be forced to commit extortion were raided. There were more than 60 detaineesseven of which have a criminal record, according to the police. Besides, 15 firearms were confiscatedvehicles, ammunition, mobile devices and bulletproof vests.
Photography that shows objects seized during an operation against organized crime in Guayaquil where Erik Prince, founder of the private security firm Blackwater participated. (EFE/ Mauricio Torres).
What does Erik Prince do in Ecuador?
But what role Erik Prince plays in Ecuador? The Minister Loffredo He assured that The ex -military and his team are providing training and advice to Ecuadorian security forces. However, he added that Its scope of action could be extended.
He argued that Prince It will not be involved in decisions of political and strategic level, which is the sovereign competence of the government.
The minister stressed that the American He has experience in terrorism and urban wars.
The own Prince He said that his goal is “Provide the forces of order and army with tools and tactics to effectively combat drug gangs”.
Prince He was invited in the journalistic program “See in your own way“, where he indicated that the world faces unique challenges, and even The world’s elitist military units can always improve. “They still go abroad and to private contractors to help them perfect their abilities,” he said.
He said he cares “to help Ecuador to stabilize and go back to the narco. ”
73% of world cocaine circulates through Ecuador, according to official figures.
The homicide rate in Ecuador He climbed from 6 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018, to 38 in 2024. The historical record occurred in 2023, with 47 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.
Homicides in Ecuador. (AFP).
As to Blackwaterwas founded in 1997 by Erik Prince Like one Private military company specialized in security servicesmilitary training, in performing operations in war areas, also provides protection of strategic facilities, performs covert operations and offers logistics.
The company won millionaire government contracts in the United States, especially in Iraq and Afghanistannations that were invaded by US forces after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington.
Iraqi and foreign mercenaries in Blackwater are on the roof of a house in Baghdad while an American Blackhawk helicopter flies over the place, on September 18, 2007. (Patrick Baz / AFP photo).
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In 2007, Blackwater was wrapped in the “Massacre of the Plaza Nisour “where their employees killed 17 civilians in Baghdad, something that caused international outrage. Crime perpetrators were protecting workers from the US embassy in Iraq.
As a result of this fact, Blackwater She was expelled from Iraq In 2009, while four of its employees were sentenced in the US, although in 2020 the then president Donald Trump investigated them.
Due to its bad reputation, Blackwater changed its name several times: In 2009 it was called XE SERVICES LLCin 2011 Academi And later he merged with other companies such as Triple Canopy to form Constellis Holdings.
Security policy or campaign act?
The founder of the private security firm Blackwater (now called Academi), Erik Prince, speaks to the media in Ecuador. (EFE/ Mauricio Torres).
The Ecuadorian political analyst Mauricio Alarcón-Salvadordirector of the NGO Citizenship and Development, considers that The presence of Prince in Ecuador is an act of campaign of the ruling party.
“The candidate president needs to send messages that allow him to win the election next Sundayand during these days The narrative that Eric Prince and his group of mercenaries are the great solution has been sold that the country needs to combat insecurity. Revised the figures, we are facing the first more violent year quarter of the last 15 years ”he said to Commerce Alarcón-Salvador.
“The violent deaths of January, February and March have been worse than in recent times, and that is something that has begun to circulate, with which The government has had to launch this type of messages with a view to the fact that the reality of the data does not affect it electorally“he insisted.
“How legal is it to hire mercenaries to do internal security issues? How legal is it to use public resources to hire someone who, in addition, has several occasions been questioned not only for their practices but even for the death of innocent civilians? “he questioned.
Alarcón-Salvador regretted that in Ecuador The atmosphere is so polarized, where the presence of Prince and in the opposition the matter is used to attack the government.
“An issue as sensitive as this should be treated with total and absolute responsibility to prevent it from getting out of hand, getting control and the consequences are in the medium and long term and unfortunate,” he said.
Ecuador president and presidential candidate, Daniel Noboa, are outside the National Democratic Action Movement (DNA) in Guayaquil. (Photo of Marcos Pin / AFP).
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For his part, Ecuadorian sociologist and political scientist Julio Echeverría He said to Commerce that the presence of Prince in Ecuador In the last part of the electoral campaign it has to do with the confusion about the double role that is assigned to Noboa: Being candidate and president at the same time.
“The presence of this security expert is attracting attention. Even It has been allowed to make political-electoral statementswhen your task, if it exists, should simply be to advise security. So, I think there is a problem that has not been sufficiently clarified ”held.
For Andrés Gómez de la Torrespecialist in defense and intelligence issues, the presence of Erik Prince In Ecuador, not only has it to be seen from the point of view of the hiring of the most powerful military expert in the world, but is also part of the international and security strategy that President Noboa has deployed.
“Prince is a man very close to Donald TrumpMoreover, he has permanently praised him. For Noboait is also an element of approach to the US government, at a time when the Government of Ecuador intends, as part of its strategy to fight organized crime, that the United States designates terrorists to Ecuadorian criminal organizationsincluding the choneros, to unlock a greater official intervention of Washington ”Gómez de la Torre said.
“Without a doubt, in the electoral campaign all these things are paying in favor of the re -election candidate, Because even when Noboa recently met with Trump in Mar-a-Lago, he climbed some points in the intention of vote ”, He said.
Who is Erik Prince?
Erik Prince observes during a press conference after an anti -criminal operation in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on April 5, 2025.
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Erik Prince was born in Michigan, USA, on June 6, 1969. It was formed at the United States Naval Academy and Hillsdale College.
During his military service, from 1992 to 1995, He specialized as Seal of the United States Navy.
The Navy Seal They are one of the most prepared special operations forces. They specialize in high -risk missions in maritime, land and aerial environments. For example, they were responsible for killing the leader of Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Ladenin an operation carried out in Pakistan in May 2011. They also captured the dictator in Panama Manuel Antonio Noriega In 1989.
The founder of Blackwater has been accused of trying private armies In Africa and the Middle East.
Prince has been linked to intelligence operations for China and United Arab Emirates.
It has also been investigated for violations of gun embargoes that weigh on Libya.
Has been linked to the movement Almost Venezuelalaunched last year to raise 10 million dollars that allow end the regime Nicolás Maduro and restore democracy in the Caribbean country.
