Noboa said laboratory tests detected three “highly concentrated” chemicals in the products, asserting that “it could not have been accidental,” News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
He added that his team had “proof” supporting the claims and ruled out contamination from the packaging or production process.
The military unit responsible for the president’s security has filed a formal complaint with prosecutors.
This marks the second alleged attempt on Noboa’s life in recent weeks. Earlier this month, officials said his motorcade came under attack during anti-government protests over rising fuel prices, describing the incident as an “assassination attempt.” Noboa was unharmed.
Ecuador has been gripped by unrest led by the country’s largest Indigenous organization, Conaie, which has blocked major roads, including in the capital province of Pichincha. Some analysts have suggested Noboa’s claims may be an attempt to portray demonstrators as violent ahead of a November 16 referendum aimed at strengthening laws against drug-related crime.
Once considered among Latin America’s safest countries, Ecuador has become a major transit point for cocaine shipments from Colombia and Peru. The nation is now struggling with record murder rates, car bombings, and a wave of prison violence.
