Sawt Falasteen - At 2nd inauguration, Noboa vows to 'save' Ecuador from gangs

The 37-year-old leader, speaking after his installation ceremony at the National Assembly in capital Quito, promised a "direct confrontation with organized criminal structures."

"There will be no truce against crime," he vowed.

Noboa, who has served as president since late 2023, handily defeated leftist rival Luisa Gonzalez in elections in April, handing him a full four-year term.

The opposition, led by exiled former president Rafael Correa, has denounced what it says was election fraud and boycotted Saturday's inauguration ceremony.

Those allegations have been dismissed by international election observers.

Noboa, a wealthy businessman, first became president of the country of 18 million following early elections in 2023 that came amid a wave of drug-linked violence.

Criminal groups specializing in cocaine smuggling pose a challenge to the government, as drug-related violence has given Ecuador the highest homicide rate in South America, according to the Insight Crime think tank.

During Noboa's first year in office the homicide rate fell, which he attributed to his crackdown on crime.

Among other things, he declared Ecuador to be in an internal armed conflict, empowering him to deploy the armed forces in the streets and prisons.

Noboa touted the drug fight as a center point of his campaign. His youth and Correa's unpopularity among many voters helped power him to re-election, analysts say.

But the fight against crime is far from over.

Between January and April, Ecuador counted 3,084 homicides, making it the bloodiest start to any year since records were kept.

Noboa promised on Saturday not "to look the other way," saying he would carry on the fight against criminals "who believed they own the country."

Seeking to strengthen an alliance with the United States in the fight against crime, Noboa said he would allow foreign forces into the country.

He also said recently that Israel wanted to "help" Ecuador with intelligence for the anti-crime struggle.

Among foreign dignitaries attending Noboa's inauguration was US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. representing President Donald Trump.

Colombia President Gustavo Petro and his Peruvian counterpart Dina Boluarte were also there, as were the foreign ministers of Brazil, Bolivia and Costa Rica.

A.AlHaj--SF-PST