Ecuador’s Interior Minister, John Reimberg, said on Friday 13 November 2026 that a criminal sheltered by Colombian guerrillas is supposedly planning an attack on President Daniel Noboa. He made the claim in an interview with a Colombian radio station, and no evidence has been published.
Reimberg named Celso Ovidio Zambrano Casanova, known as “Loco Ovidio”, and said the ELN (National Liberation Army, a Colombian guerrilla group) protects him in Colombia. The claim matters beyond Ecuador because it ties a domestic political fight to a 586-kilometre border shared with Colombia, where the two governments have clashed over drug policy.
What Did the Minister Say?
Reimberg said Loco Ovidio is in an area of Colombia where the ELN protects him, and that the guerrillas “want to carry out an attack” on Noboa. He added that the authorities of both countries know roughly where the man is sheltered.
He accused Revolución Ciudadana (RC), the opposition movement of former president Rafael Correa, of an alliance with the ELN for this purpose. These are the minister’s allegations, and we found no published reply from RC.
The Carondelet Palace in Quito, the seat of Ecuador’s government. File photo.Who Are the Players?
Zambrano Casanova is an Ecuadorian criminal whom Reimberg describes as sheltered across the border. The ELN, or Ejército de Liberación Nacional, is a Colombian guerrilla group that has fought the state for decades.
Why the Colombian Border Matters
Ecuador and Colombia share a 586-kilometre border that was closed several times in recent months, during a dispute over drug policy between Noboa and Colombia’s former president Gustavo Petro that escalated into a tariff war. Relations improved after Abelardo de la Espriella, a friend of Noboa, took office in Colombia on 7 August 2026.
Reimberg said forces from both countries are working together and that a binational meeting is close. The accusation therefore lands just as cooperation is being rebuilt.
What to Watch
The binational meeting Reimberg mentioned has no confirmed date. Evidence from Quito or Bogotá, or a reply from the ELN or RC, would be the test of the claim.
What It Means for You
For travellers and US companies in Ecuador, the statement is an allegation and does not by itself change any security guidance. Official travel advice remains the reference for any change.
What Is Not Known
We found no public evidence for the alleged plot, and no response from the Colombian government or the ELN. It is also unclear where Zambrano Casanova is, since the minister did not name a place.
More: Ecuador news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is John Reimberg?
He is Ecuador’s Interior Minister, the cabinet member responsible for internal security. He made the accusation on Friday 13 November 2026.
Is there proof of a plot against Noboa?
No evidence has been made public. The claim is the minister’s allegation.
Who is Loco Ovidio?
Celso Ovidio Zambrano Casanova is an Ecuadorian criminal who, according to Reimberg, is protected by Colombia’s ELN. The minister did not say where.