The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, announced on Wednesday his intention to promote a popular referendum to ask citizens whether they want to convene a Constituent Assembly.
Through a post on his X account, accompanied by a letter with the Presidential letterhead, Noboa stated that this measure seeks "to return power to the people" and to free the country from an institutional captivity that prevents progress on necessary reforms.
In his message, Noboa indicated that "for too long our country has been stalled" and that Ecuador "deserves to be freed from those who hold it back." He argued that Ecuadorians voted for a change that can't be consolidated as long as the "current rules" prevent effective combat against organized crime and the "political structures" that protect it.
He also criticized the actions of the Constitutional Court, implicitly accusing it of political activism for having previously rejected some questions proposed by the Executive for a popular referendum.
Although the announcement doesn't detail the specific content of the question or the official timeline of the process, Noboa has mentioned in previous statements that the referendum could take place on November 30, 2025.
It has also not been clarified whether the Constituent Assembly he proposes would have full powers to completely redesign the constitutional order, or if it would be limited to certain matters. However, the president stated that there is no room for excuses, only for action, and suggested that the Constituent Assembly would allow for the establishment of "the regulatory framework of a new Ecuador."
