Sat Apr 19 11:33:34 UTC 2025: ## Ecuador on Maximum Alert Following Alleged Assassination Plot Against Re-elected President

**QUITO, Ecuador** – Ecuador has declared a state of “maximum alert” following the discovery of an alleged plot to assassinate President Daniel Noboa, who was re-elected earlier this month. The Ministry of Government, in a statement titled “The revenge of the bad losers,” attributed the threat to “criminal organizations colluding with political groups defeated at the polls.”

The alert follows the leak of a military intelligence report detailing plans by assassins, allegedly entering Ecuador from Mexico and other countries, to carry out attacks against Noboa. The government alleges that individuals linked to the opposition Citizen Revolution Movement (RC5), led by presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez, hired hitmen to destabilize the government. Gonzalez, who continues to claim electoral fraud, has announced plans to contest the election results.

The statement points to a possible connection between the alleged plot and the ongoing diplomatic dispute between Ecuador and Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who publicly supported Gonzalez during the election, announced this week that Mexico would not restore diplomatic relations with Ecuador as long as Noboa remains president. Media reports suggest potential support for the assassination plot may have come from foreign sources, including Mexican officials.

This alleged assassination attempt comes amidst a surge in violence in Ecuador, marked by rampant cartel activity and the previous assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023. Friday saw at least 12 people killed in a coastal province attack, highlighting the ongoing struggle against organized crime.

President Noboa, who previously declared an “internal armed conflict” to combat drug gangs, has activated all security protocols. The Armed Forces, National Police, and intelligence agencies are working together to address the threat. The government’s assertion of a politically motivated plot has significantly raised tensions in the country.

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