Security Aid to Ecuador
"For Combating Drug Gangs"
The Donald Trump administration has expressed its willingness to provide military firepower support to partner countries in order to dismantle drug trafficking gangs in the Latin American region.
On September 4 (local time), U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated at a joint press conference with Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld, "We intend to support partner governments so they can carry out attacks against criminal organizations," adding, "We are committed to joining forces to crush criminal organizations." He further said, "We will help partner governments blow away drug organizations," and added, "They (U.S. allies) may even conduct the attacks themselves."
In response, The New York Times interpreted this as the Trump administration's intention to help foreign governments carry out lethal attacks following the U.S. military's operations in the Caribbean, in which drug transport vessels of the Venezuela-based cartel 'Tren de Aragua' were sunk.
In this context, the U.S. State Department announced plans to provide approximately 20 million dollars in security assistance to support the Ecuadorian government's efforts to eliminate drug cartels. Secretary Rubio also pledged funding for the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), explaining, "President Trump will make greater efforts to confront criminal organizations." In addition, he stated that two Ecuador-based drug trafficking cartels, 'Los Choneros' and 'Los Lobos,' will be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO), and sanctions will be imposed, including blocking illegal financial flows.
Just over a decade ago, Ecuador was considered one of the relatively safe countries in South America. However, in recent years, it has become a major hub for drug trafficking cartels seeking to expand their influence. Violent clashes among gangs seeking to secure drug transport routes to the United States and Europe have become frequent, particularly in coastal cities, and there have also been terrorist attacks targeting politicians, prosecutors, and police officers. In particular, gang members are known to hide drugs in containers filled with bananas and transport them through Ecuador, which lies between Colombia and Peru, two of the world's leading cocaine producers. Ecuador is the world's largest exporter of bananas.
Meanwhile, Secretary Rubio also made strong remarks about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He stated, "(President Maduro) is a narco-terrorist and a fugitive from the U.S. justice system," emphasizing, "The United States will not stop at tracking down drug traffickers with just small speedboats."
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