The United States and Ecuador have initiated joint military operations targeting drug trafficking, the US Southern Command announced on Tuesday. The mission, described as 'decisive action' against illicit drug smuggling, involves coordinated efforts between the two nations, though specific details remain classified.
Ecuador's defence ministry confirmed the offensive operations but declined to provide further information, citing security concerns. The announcement follows a statement by Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa, who noted that Washington had joined a 'new phase' in the country's war on drugs, alongside other regional allies.
President Noboa, a close ally of Donald Trump, met with US Southern Command chief Francis Donovan and Mark Schafer, head of US special operations in the region, in Quito on Monday. Discussions focused on intelligence sharing and operational coordination at airports and seaports, according to Noboa's office.
Ecuador serves as a major transit point for cocaine, with approximately 70% of drugs from Colombia and Peru passing through its ports. The drug trade has fuelled violent turf wars, transforming one of Latin America's safest nations into one of its deadliest in recent years.
Security cooperation between the US and Ecuador has intensified since Noboa took office in 2023. While a proposal to reopen a US military base was rejected in a November referendum, the US deployed air force personnel to a former base in Manta in December.
