The 2008 Constitution of Ecuador established, on the one hand, that decentralized autonomous governments (GADs) would enjoy political, administrative and financial autonomy; and on the other hand, that they will have legislative powers within their territorial powers and competences. What has been said is no small matter. The National Constituent Assembly that passed this Constitution clearly stated that Ecuador is a country that is organized in the form of a republic and that it must be governed in a decentralized manner.

In this regard, and taking into account that sovereignty belongs to the people and that it is exercised not only through public authorities, but also through the forms of direct participation provided for in the Constitution, I consider it necessary and urgent to propose constitutional changes that enable municipalities to participate more actively and decisively in issues of internal security within each of their jurisdictions.

Tax reform: free zone

Allow me to explain better, among the primary duties of the state as a whole, and especially of GAD, is to guarantee its residents the right to a culture of peace, but above all to comprehensive security and life in a democratic and free society, corruption. And citizens, the right to participate in matters of public interest.

In this sense, it is more than appropriate that the President of the Republic, using the powers established in Art. 104 of the Constitution, to ask the citizens through a referendum whether they agree that the city or municipal police officers of the 224 municipalities in the country, as well as the municipal traffic officers of these cantons, after training and training and passing the appropriate technical and psychological tests, can carry weapons, in order to be supplement in the fight against the underground and organized crime.

Noboa already has a debt with Ecuador

What would be required is the amendment of articles 261 and 264 of the Constitution, in the sense that internal protection and public order are not the exclusive competence of the central state, but that it is a simultaneous competence, which in turn would maintain harmony. with the constitutional text itself which states that the exercise of exclusive powers shall not exclude the simultaneous performance of management in the provision of public services.

Municipalities like Guayaquil, from the time of León Febres-Corder until today, have cooperated with technological equipment, such as radios and cameras, trucks and motorcycles with adequate fuel, beacons, food, accommodation, body armor, etc., in short, tens of millions of dollars for articulating defense plans for the city (the Citizen Security Corporation in the municipal administration of Mayor Nebot was a clear example of how successful coordinated management between the central government, municipality and private initiative can be).

Our founding charter establishes that citizens, individually or collectively, must participate directly in decision-making, planning and management of public affairs. I leave this concern to President Noboa. (OR)