Constitutional Court Authorizes US-Ecuador Military Agreements

January 24, 2024 Hour: 2:13 pm

On Wednesday, the Ecuadorian Constitutional Court ruled that the two military agreements signed between Ecuador and the U.S. do not require the approval of the National Assembly.

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Signed in 2023 by then-President Guillermo Lasso, these documents are the “Agreement between Ecuador and the U.S. Regarding Operations Against Illicit Transnational Maritime Activities” and the “Agreement between Ecuador and the U.S. Regarding the Status of Forces.”

In their most notable aspects, these agreements state that Ecuador renounces the possibility of prosecuting infractions committed by U.S. military or civilian personnel.

In accordance with the aforementioned, the Ecuadorian state authorizes the United States to exercise criminal jurisdiction over its personnel.

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It is also stipulated that the personnel of the U.S. Department of Defense will not pay taxes or similar charges applied within Ecuadorian territory.

Aircraft, vessels, and vehicles operated by the U.S. Department of Defense will be allowed to enter, move, and exit freely through Ecuadorian territory.

The Ecuadorian state will also allow the U.S. Armed Forces and the Department of Defense to use the national radio frequency spectrum to operate their own telecommunication systems.

Finally, Ecuador commits to “waive” legal actions against U.S. personnel in the event of claims regarding injuries or deaths in the “internal military conflict.”

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