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Ecuadorean voters reject return of investor-state dispute settlements in referendum
An Air Force soldier votes in a referendum proposed by President Daniel Noboa to endorse new security measures aimed at cracking down on criminal gangs fueling escalating violence, in Quito, Ecuador, April 21, 2024

FAIR trade campaigners have welcomed Ecuador’s rejection of investor-state dispute settlements (ISDS) in a landmark referendum on Sunday.

The country’s President Daniel Noboa had been accused of slipping two unrelated questions into a referendum billed as a bid to boost national security and crack down on armed gangs.

Voters backed the nine questions on security, which allow Mr Noboa to deploy the army against gangs, lengthen prison sentences and make it easier to extradite offenders.

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