2024-04-10 12:02:31
President Daniel Noboa created a special committee to address security issues, which can justify the adoption of decisions in a confidential, secret or top secret manner.
QUITO.- Listed as “a high-level management body”, with Executive Decree 213, signed on March 28, 2024, President Daniel Noboa created the Crisis Management Committee.
This body, as decreed by the President, will be in charge of “coordinating and uniting inter-institutional actions of the Executive Branch in times of crisis.” security crisis, to articulate the response and make immediate decisions that will solve the crisis.”
In the resolution signed by Noboa, which consists of nine articles, two general provisions and seven transitional provisionsthe guidelines, powers and responsibilities that the Crisis Management Committee will have, as well as the organizations and people that will make it up, are issued.
Precisely, article 5 details that, among the powers, the new Committee may adopt strategic decisions in situations of security crisis national, regional or local in nature; and, coordinate the execution of the response at different levels of government.
Furthermore, you can coordinate so that the essential functions of the State continue to operate and constitutional order and stability in the country can be maintained in crisis situations.
Other paragraphs indicate the manage and use strategic intelligence to anticipate and mitigate potential threats; establish and manage secure and effective internal and external communication channels to disseminate relevant information; adopt security measures and civil protection that contribute to the security of the population and critical assets during the crisis; establish clear protocols and procedures for action different security crisis scenarios; collaborate with international organizations, non-governmental organizations and other relevant actors to strengthen the response capacity and reactivation of public and private services that may have been affected, through the governing body of foreign policy and human mobility; and, define the parameters of intelligence products for decision making in crisis scenarios.
Furthermore, it points out that in situations where the crisis is related to the other functions of the State, the Committee will refer the matter to the State and Public Safety Councilso that it acts based on its powers.
One of the relevant points also mentions that the Committee will have to provide the governing body of the National Intelligence System with the documentation classification generated in the Committee sessions and the reports that justify the adoption of decisions as confidential, secret or top secret.
“The primary objective of the Crisis Management Committee is to safeguard the interests of society and guarantee the operational continuity of the State in the face of crisis situations that impact comprehensive security (…). The management of the Crisis Management Committee will not interfere with the activities and powers of the Emergency Operations Committeeits other collegiate body; and, when necessary, each collegiate body will work according to its powers and in an articulated manner,” states the Executive Decree.
Regarding its formation, it was established that the Crisis Management Committee be made up of the following members: the President of the Republic, or his delegate, who will preside over it and will have the casting vote.; the head of the entity that exercises coordination functions between the bodies that make up the public security system and the State, or his delegate; the head of the governing entity of citizen security, internal protection and public order, or his delegate; the head of the governing entity of national defense, or his delegate; the head of the governing entity of governance and political management, or his delegate; the head of the governing body of the National Intelligence System, or his delegate; and, the head of the technical body of the National Social Rehabilitation System, or his delegate.
“To carry out its functions, the Committee will havewith the ECU 911 Integrated Security Service as technical supportinfrastructure and ICT support, will have as advisory bodies to the General Legal Secretariat and the General Secretariat of Communication of the Presidency of the Republic, within the scope of their powers. These institutions may participate in the sessions to which they are called with a voice, but they will not have the right to vote,” Noboa stated. (FV)