US EditionEcuador readies a major offensive on criminal groups with US logistical support
Ecuador targets drug and gang networks in three provinces with U.S. logistical aid; homicides soared from 1,372 in 2020 to 9,125 in 2025, officials said.
- March 3 saw coordinated raids by Ecuadorian armed forces to disrupt drug shipments, with U.S. support praised by U.S. Southern Command.
- Violence and transshipment dynamics prompted action, as homicides rose from 1,372 in 2020 to 9,125 by 2025 and Ecuador's location between Colombia and Peru with Pacific ports made it a key drug hub.
- Interior Minister John Reimberg ordered a curfew March 15-30 in Guayas, Los Ríos and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, with restrictions from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. and cleared roads for troop movements, citing U.S. cooperation at Manta air base.
- Experts caution that expanding U.S. support could provoke organized crime gangs and potential protests, risking unrest similar to late 2019 against President Daniel Noboa.
- Historically, Ecuador has cooperated with the U.S. at Manta air base despite the 2009 referendum banning foreign bases, while joint maritime operations disrupt trafficking but coca production trends in the Andean region limit lasting impact.
32 Articles
32 Articles
"A giant mess": Trump's war in Ecuador won't slow the flow of drugs into the US
President Donald Trump is escalating his administration’s de facto war on Latin American drug cartels. New anti-drug trafficking operations are underway in Ecuador and critics worry that the administration’s strategy and tactics may worsen a decades-old conflict. At the first Shield of the Americas summit earlier this month, Trump urged leaders from select South American and Caribbean countries to take action against what he called an “unaccepta…
The Times of Northwest Indiana
US to support Ecuador in anti-crime crackdown
QUITO, Ecuador — Ecuador will launch a major offensive against criminal organizations in three western provinces this weekend with logistical support from the United States, the interior minister said Wednesday.
Ecuador readies a major offensive on criminal groups with U.S. logistical support
Speaking to a local radio station, Interior Minister John Reimberg urged citizens to observe an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew from March 15 to March 30 in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas — three of the most violent in the South American country.
Associated Press News
Ecuador readies a major offensive on criminal groups with US logistical support
Ecuador's interior minister says the country is preparing a major crackdown on criminal groups set to begin this weekend with logistical support from the United States.
Why Ecuador Is Partnering in US Drug-War Strikes
On March 6, the United States “Department of War” released its latest Hollywood movie production. The brief video celebrated the first publicized joint US-Ecuador strike, days after the two nations announced combined military operations “to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism.” Up to 20 men in military uniform hurry toward a waiting helicopter. The helicopter speeds across black-and-white terrain. Tense movie music plays. A fiery explosion eng…
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