Ecuador's Interior Minister to receive police and military protection amid threats

Ecuador's Interior Minister John Reimberg Oviedo will be provided with police and military protection, a measure mandated by President Daniel Noboa through Executive Decree No. 450. The decree, signed in Guayaquil, extends this security detail to Reimberg's spouse and family.

This directive follows previous security measures implemented for other government officials. On June 10, Executive Decree No. 417 established protection for the Minister of Labor, Cynthia Natalie Gellibert Mora, and ordered a risk assessment for her successor. Similarly, on June 12, a risk assessment was ordered for Michele Sensi Contugi, director general of the National Intelligence Center, with protection to be provided based on the findings.

Reimberg, who was ratified as Interior Minister on May 27, 2025, has publicly stated that he has been the target of threats. He specifically mentioned that a captured individual known as 'Gato Negro,' apprehended in Colombia, had attempted to assassinate him while he held his current ministerial position. The decree ensures his safety amidst these reported threats.