Ecuadorians have voted in favour of allowing the military to patrol their streets as part of a referendum on bolstering security in the country.

The poll was called after Ecuador went from being relatively peaceful to having the highest recorded murder rate in Latin America.

Voters also backed longer prison terms and extraditing violent criminals.

But human rights groups have raised concerns that the measures could lead to abuses.

President Daniel Noboa called the referendum following a spate of high-profile murders, including the assassination of a presidential candidate last year and several mayors in recent months.

In 2023, police recorded about 8,000 violent deaths and in January the country was rocked by a wave of violence which saw a top gang leader escape from jail, prison riots and staff at a TV station being held hostage by armed gang members while they were live on air.

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