U.S. and Ecuadorian forces have begun joint operations targeting drug trafficking groups in Ecuador, the U.S. military’s Southern Command said, marking an escalation in efforts to combat narcotics networks in the region.
Southern Command said the action was aimed at tackling illicit drug trafficking and “narco-terrorist” organizations operating in the country, though officials did not provide operational details.
Ecuador’s Defense Ministry described the effort as an “offensive” mission and said information about the operation remains classified.
The campaign follows remarks from Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, who said the United States and other regional partners were joining a “new phase” of Ecuador’s war against drug cartels.
Noboa has warned that roughly 70% of the world’s cocaine passes through Ecuador’s major ports, making the country a key transit point for trafficking groups.
The operation comes after meetings in Quito between Noboa and U.S. military leaders, including the commander of Southern Command, Gen. Francis Donovan. Officials discussed expanded intelligence sharing and coordination at ports and airports to disrupt smuggling networks.
Ecuador has seen rising violence linked to organized crime in recent years as cartels use the country’s Pacific ports to move cocaine produced in neighboring Colombia and Peru to international markets.
The joint operation signals closer security cooperation between Washington and Quito as both governments step up efforts to curb drug trafficking and related criminal activity across the region.
