U.S. intelligence report favors incumbent Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa in election
CBSN
WASHINGTON — An American intelligence assessment of the Ecuadorian presidential election, set for Sunday, concluded that a reelection of the incumbent president would better serve U.S. national security interests over the challenger. The assessment comes as the Trump administration mulls establishing a permanent U.S. military presence in the South American country, once known as the "island of peace," to help battle violent gangs, CBS News has learned.
The U.S. intelligence assessment, completed days ago, concluded that a win for President Daniel Noboa in Sunday's election against challenger Luisa González would better serve U.S. interests over the next four years.
On the negotiation table, Noboa's pitch to the Trump administration last month to put a U.S. military base in Ecuador, according to two U.S. intelligence officials with knowledge of the assessment and who spoke to CBS News under the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security matters.
