Ecuador's intelligence center gets new interim head after predecessor's death

Daniel Correia has been appointed as the interim head of Ecuador's National Intelligence Center (CNI), taking over following the death of Michele Sensi-Contugi in a plane crash on August 19, 2026. President Daniel Noboa announced the decision on August 28, 2026, during a radio interview.

Correia is expected to lead the CNI until the conclusion of the sectional elections campaign on November 29, 2026. Following the elections, a definitive decision will be made regarding whether Correia will continue in the role or if another individual will be appointed. Noboa stated that the CNI's structure will remain unchanged during this period.

“

The structure of the CNI was not a troll center; it is what has helped capture Fito, it is intelligence that has helped capture Topo, also revealing that Pipo was not dead and capturing him in Spain… it is also the structure that has been able to identify civilian threats, terrorist threats.

President Noboa used the interview to strongly defend the CNI's operational effectiveness. He refuted characterizations of the center as a 'troll center' or a tool for persecution. Instead, Noboa highlighted the CNI's crucial role in the successful capture of significant figures such as 'Fito,' 'Topo,' and 'Pipo.' He also credited the center with identifying civilian and terrorist threats, asserting its importance for national security.

Noboa contrasted the current operations with the past, suggesting that former President Rafael Correa allegedly used the CNI as a 'troll center' and for political persecution. The current administration, under Noboa, emphasizes the CNI's function as a vital intelligence-gathering body focused on combating organized crime and terrorism, thereby contributing to public safety and the capture of dangerous individuals.

“

Correa used it as a troll center and as a tool for persecution.