Erik Prince, the founder of the controversial security company formerly known as Blackwater, took part in law enforcement operations on Saturday in Guayaquil, one of Ecuador’s most violent cities, according to local authorities. The operations led to the raid of 10 homes and the arrest of 40 individuals, as stated by Ecuador’s Interior Minister John Reimberg.
“Since early this morning, the security forces, alongside American security expert Erik Prince and Ecuador’s Ministers of Defense, Gian Carlo Loffredo, and Interior, John Reimberg, were deployed in Guayaquil, particularly in the suburbs, targeting criminal activities and enhancing strategies to support our law enforcement efforts,” the Ecuadorian Defense Ministry stated on social media.
Prince also appeared in a video shared by the Defense Ministry, explaining that his role in Ecuador was to “provide law enforcement and military forces with the tools and tactics needed to effectively combat narco-gangs.” He emphasized the objective: “To put the narcos on their back heels and make them genuinely afraid of being caught.”
Prince’s involvement follows the recent announcement of a “strategic alliance” between Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and Prince’s organization, aimed at tackling organized crime in the country.
A Historic Chapter for Security in Ecuador
Ecuador’s Defense Ministry described Erik Prince’s involvement in Saturday’s security operations as a “historic chapter for security” in the country. Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo stated that Prince and his team are currently offering training and strategic advice to Ecuador’s security forces. However, Loffredo hinted that their role might expand, saying, “They may not be limited to just those actions.”
Prince has been in Ecuador for several days, working alongside local authorities to develop a new strategy to tackle the growing problem of gang violence.
Ecuador, strategically located between Colombia and Peru—two of the world’s top cocaine producers—has increasingly become a hub for drug trafficking and the violence that accompanies it. Its efficient transport and export networks are exploited by cartels to move narcotics globally, often concealing cocaine within shipments of bananas and other goods destined for the United States, Europe, and beyond.
President Daniel Noboa has actively sought international assistance to combat organized crime, even urging former U.S. President Donald Trump to designate Ecuadorian gangs as foreign terrorist organizations. According to reports, Ecuador’s government is also preparing for a potential deployment of U.S. forces.
Noboa’s efforts, however, are tied to the outcome of next week’s presidential runoff election, where he will face leftist candidate Luisa Gonzalez. Gonzalez has taken a strong stance on crime but opposes the presence of foreign military forces in Ecuador.
In a video shared by the Defense Ministry, Prince urged Ecuadorians to support Noboa, warning that failing to do so could lead the country down a path similar to Venezuela’s—characterized by drug trafficking, widespread crime, and economic despair.
“I hope Ecuador chooses law and order. We are here to help combat the gangs and provide the tools needed for the government to restore law and order, peace, and prosperity,” Prince added.