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The United States military has initiated a collaborative endeavor with Ecuador to combat terrorist groups within the South American nation, signifying an important advancement in the security partnership between the two nations.
On Tuesday evening, the Pentagon announced that American forces are collaborating with Ecuador’s military in operations aimed at ‘designated terrorist organizations.’ This initiative is part of a larger regional effort to dismantle drug trafficking networks.
According to a U.S. official, speaking anonymously to the New York Times to discuss sensitive details, American Special Forces are providing guidance to Ecuadorian commandos during operations targeting suspected drug shipment sites and other narcotics-related locations.
The official noted that while U.S. troops are not actively engaging in the raids, they are instrumental in mission planning, providing critical intelligence and logistical support to their Ecuadorian counterparts.
In an initial glimpse into this operation, the U.S. Southern Command released a short video highlighting the campaign’s early stages.
The 30-second clip shows a military helicopter lifting off in dim light before flying across the landscape and collecting soldiers on the ground.
A US official said the footage appeared to show the opening phase of a series of operations that are expected to unfold across Ecuador.
Some missions could involve American advisers operating nearby while Ecuadorian units carry out the raids, while other operations will be conducted solely by Ecuador’s military forces.
The US military confirmed it has launched joint operations with Ecuador targeting what officials described as “designated terrorist organizations”
US Southern Command released a 30-second video showing a military helicopter lifting off and transporting soldiers during one of the early operations
The footage appears to show the opening stage of what officials say will be a series of raids across Ecuador. Soldiers can be seen exiting a helicopter in this shot
In the specific mission shown in the video, the official said it was unclear what the target was or whether the operation resulted in arrests or seizures.
US Southern Command framed the campaign as part of a broader international effort to dismantle criminal networks operating throughout the region.
‘The operations are a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism,’ the command said in a statement.
The White House did not immediately provide additional details about the military activity but the joint operation had been hinted at months earlier.
During a visit to Ecuador last September, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that the United States and Ecuador could work together in coordinated strikes against criminal organizations operating in the country.
Across Latin America, drug cartels have long fought violent battles with rival gangs and security forces as they attempt to control cocaine production and smuggling routes to the United States.
Although Ecuador does not produce cocaine itself, the country has become a major trafficking corridor for drugs originating in neighboring Colombia and Peru.
The surge in criminal violence tied to those networks has transformed Ecuador into one of the region’s most volatile security hotspots.
US Southern Command said the operations demonstrate the region’s commitment to fighting narco-terrorism
Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa, right, is seen shaking hands with US Southern Command chief General Francis Donovan during a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the Carondelet Palace in Quito, Ecuador on Monday
Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa, center, is seen meeting with General Francis Donovan, 3rd from left, as the US announced the launch of joint operations with Ecuador to combat drug trafficking, which has caused an explosion of violence in the South American country
Just days before the announcement of the joint operations, the head of US Southern Command traveled to Quito to meet Ecuador’s leadership.
General Francis L. Donovan met with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and senior officials in the capital to discuss expanding security cooperation between the two nations.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Donovan praised Ecuador’s military for confronting criminal organizations.
‘We commend the men and women of the Ecuadorian armed forces for their unwavering commitment to this fight, demonstrating courage and resolve through continued actions against narco-terrorists in their country,’ Donovan said.
Ecuador’s president has increasingly relied on the country’s armed forces to combat criminal groups responsible for soaring violence.
President Noboa has centered much of his presidency on a sweeping crackdown against drug cartels and organized crime, which he says are driving record homicide levels in the country.
Ecuadorian National Police detain suspected narco traffickers during a house raid (file photo)
Soldiers pose for photos with tourists while on patrol during Carnival celebrations in February in Atacames, Ecuador. President Daniel Noboa declared a state of ‘internal armed conflict” to fight surging gang violence
Military personnel patrol the streets in the south of the city during an operation against gangs on in Quito, Ecuador in January 2024
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pictured, hosted commanders from multiple countries to discuss deeper coordination against transnational criminal networks and drug trafficking groups
After meeting with General Donovan this week, Noboa signaled that Ecuador was entering a new stage of the campaign.
Ecuador was ‘launching a new phase against narco-terrorism and illegal mining,’ the president wrote in a post on X.
‘In the month of March, we will conduct joint operations with our regional allies, including the United States,’ Noboa added. ‘The security of Ecuadorians is our priority, and we will fight to achieve peace in every corner of the country.’
Also present at the meeting in Quito was Rear Admiral Mark A. Schafer, the senior commander overseeing U.S. Special Forces operations in Latin America.
The new joint raids come shortly after senior military leaders from across the Western Hemisphere gathered in Washington.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hosted commanders from multiple countries to discuss deeper coordination against transnational criminal networks and drug trafficking groups.
In recent months, the United States has carried out dozens of strikes against suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean
US officials say the operations target vessels believed to be transporting narcotics bound for North America. At least 150 people have been killed in 44 such strikes since last September
Ecuador has grown into one of Washington’s closest security partners in South America since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year.
His administration has made combating drug trafficking and strengthening border security a central element of its national security strategy.
In recent months, the United States has also conducted dozens of strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean that officials say were involved in transporting narcotics.
According to publicly known figures, at least 150 people have been killed in 44 such strikes since early September.
The Trump administration has argued those operations are part of a broader campaign to disrupt drug smuggling routes heading toward North America.
However, some legal scholars specializing in the use of force have criticized the strikes, arguing they could constitute unlawful killings if the individuals targeted were civilians who did not pose an imminent threat.