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The United States has confirmed it launched joint military operations with Ecuador targeting designated narco-terrorist organizations.
Getting into it: The announcement was made by US Southern Command, which said the operations involve American forces advising and supporting Ecuadorian military units conducting raids against suspected drug trafficking networks and related infrastructure across the country. According to US officials, American personnel are helping plan missions and providing intelligence and logistical support, while Ecuadorian commandos are carrying out the raids themselves.
On March 3, Ecuadorian and U.S. military forces launched operations against Designated Terrorist Organizations in Ecuador. The operations are a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism.
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) March 4, 2026
Together,… pic.twitter.com/MrkKZcrDbs
US officials did not disclose the exact locations of the operations or which groups were targeted, but the US has recently designated two powerful Ecuadorian criminal organizations (Los Lobos and Los Choneros) as foreign terrorist organizations due to their role in large-scale cocaine trafficking and cartel violence.
The Pentagon described the raids as part of a broader effort to dismantle drug shipment facilities and other sites linked to trafficking operations that use Ecuador as a staging ground for moving narcotics toward North America and Europe. US Southern Command Commander Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan praised Ecuador’s armed forces, saying their actions demonstrate “courage and resolve” in confronting narco-terrorists.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said the operations with the United States are intended to confront what he described as “narco-terrorism” and restore security across the country.
This all comes as Ecuador has struggled to contain a severe security crisis that has seen gangs carry out increasingly brazen attacks and push homicide rates to record levels. In 2024, armed gang members stormed a television station during a live broadcast and carried out coordinated violence that prompted the government to declare a state of emergency.
