The measure, a campaign promise of President Daniel Noboa as he seeks US military backing in his fight against violent drug gangs, must now be put to a referendum.

In April, Noboa said he had asked US President Donald Trump for military help as he pursues a crackdown on cartels blamed for turning what was once one of the region's most peaceful countries into one of its most violent.

The president had said in February he would invite "special forces" from unnamed allied countries to help, and has been in talks with US mercenary Erik Prince, founder of security contractor Blackwater.

Noboa was reelected to a second term in April.

The United States had a military base in the South American country, at the fishing port of Manta, until 2009 when a constitutional prohibition entered into effect that Noboa wants overturned.