Ecuador votes against allowing foreign military bases in country

Voters have rejected a referendum proposal, dealing a blow to President Daniel Noboa and US ambitions in the region.

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The referendum result is a blow to Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa, who had campaigned to change the constitution to reverse a ban that the country's legislature passed in 2008.

He had said it would help fight organised crime and reduce the soaring violence the country has seen in recent years, during which it has become one of the world's biggest drug-trafficking hotspots.

The US had hoped the referendum would pave the way to opening a military base in Ecuador, 16 years after it was made to close a site on its Pacific coast.

While Ecuador does not produce cocaine, its huge ports and proximity to Colombia and Peru - where large quantities of the drug are made - make it a desirable and lucrative location for drug-trafficking gangs.