US military launches operations in Ecuador against ‘terrorist organizations

The U.S. military began conducting operations with Ecuador targeting “designated terrorist organizations” in the Latin American country, the Pentagon announced in a statement.

U.S. Southern Command said in a statement that the actions represent “a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism” and emphasized that both countries are taking “decisive action” against groups that it claims have sown violence and corruption across the hemisphere.

The announcement appears to mark an expansion of the Trump administration’s Operation Southern Spear, which has so far killed 151 people in strikes on alleged drug boats in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean.

The Pentagon did not specify what the new operations would entail or which groups they would focus on. A short video posted to social media by US SOUTHCOM showed individuals boarding a helicopter.

Los Lobos and Los Choneros, two of Ecuador’s main criminal organizations, were designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US State Department last September.

SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan in a statement praised Ecuador’s armed forces for their “unwavering commitment” and “courage and resolve” in the fight against drug-trafficking.

Meanwhile, Ecuador’s Ministry of Defense said on social media Tuesday that a “new phase against narco-terrorism and illegal mining” had begun.

“The Ecuadorian Armed Forces will continue to firmly combat organized crime alongside strategic allies, for the security of Ecuadorians and the peaceful future of our families,” the ministry wrote on X.

The announcements come one day after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa met with Donovan and other defense officials from both countries at the Government Palace in Quito to coordinate actions against transnational organized crime and strengthen hemispheric security.

According to the Ecuadorian presidency, the meeting addressed initiatives to strengthen controls, information sharing, and operational coordination at airports and ports.