Ecuador: military operations inflict more than $1.25 million in losses on illegal mining in Imbabura, Napo and Sucumbíos
Ecuador’s Ministry of National Defence said on 5 November 2026 that military operations in the provinces of Imbabura, Napo and Sucumbíos have accumulated more than USD 1.25 million in losses for illegal-mining networks. The announcement was posted on the official @DefensaEc account with photographs from the interventions. A detailed inventory of destroyed or seized equipment by province was not disclosed in that post.
Economic pressure on illegal gold networks
The ministry framed the figure as a cumulative hit from recent military operations across the three provinces. It did not break down how many camps, excavators or other items sit behind the USD 1.25 million total.
On 2 November the same ministry had reported more than USD 600,000 in losses inflicted by IWIAS commands on illegal mining in the Amazon, placing this week’s announcement in a continuous run of counter–illegal-mining operations.
Same day: fuel seizure in Posorja
Also on 5 November, the Armed Forces of Ecuador (@FFAAECUADOR) reported a military operation in Posorja, Guayaquil canton (Guayas), in which one citizen was detained and 650 gallons of fuel plus a truck were seized. The evidence was handed to the National Police. The detainee’s identity was not revealed.
Hydrocarbon-derivative control is a standing line of effort for the Security Bloc, because diverted fuel sustains logistics for illicit economies, including illegal mining.
Context: Security Bloc Bulletin 267
On 4 November the Defence Ministry published Bulletin No. 267 on the curfew. Between 1 and 4 November the Security Bloc — Armed Forces and National Police — carried out 895 operations and detained 1,072 people. Seizures included 63 firearms and 250 rounds, plus 257 vehicles and 488 motorcycles. Against criminal economies the bulletin lists 115.18 kg of drugs and 2,000 gallons of fuel seized in that window.
The deployment continues under Defence Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo and Interior Minister John Reimberg, according to the bulletin.
What remains unconfirmed
- A detailed equipment inventory behind the 5 November USD 1.25 million figure.
- Which Army units accounted for each province’s share of that total.
- Exact coordinates of the targets.
Envanter Medya will update this report when the ministry or the Army publishes an official breakdown.
Sources: Ecuador Ministry of Defence (@DefensaEc, 5 Nov 2026); Armed Forces of Ecuador (@FFAAECUADOR, 5 Nov 2026); Bulletin No. 267, defensa.gob.ec (4 Nov 2026). Cover photo: Ministry of Defence / X.
Verified 5 November 2026 against official sources. Third-party articles whose schema dates pre-date November were not treated as new developments.
