US Pledges $45M in Security Aid and Naval Assets to Ecuador Amid Counter-Cartel Push

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced on Wednesday a $45 million security assistance package for Ecuador, accompanied by the transfer of additional naval vessels, as part of an escalating effort to combat organized crime in South America. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed the pledge during a visit to the capital, Quito, describing President Daniel Noboa’s administration as the most proactive partner in the region regarding the dismantling of criminal networks.

Beyond the primary security funding, Rubio outlined a new $10 million initiative aimed at curbing illegal gold mining, gang recruitment, and drug trafficking. The United States also committed to providing Ecuador’s navy with one coast guard cutter and five interceptor vessels, supplementing the seven ships delivered earlier in the year.

During the visit, Rubio officially designated Los Tiguerones, an Ecuador-based drug trafficking organization, as a foreign terrorist organization. The designation cited the group’s involvement in narcotics trafficking and its role in the violent takeover of a television station in 2024. Rubio emphasized that these groups possess capabilities that extend beyond common crime, asserting that they must be defeated through coordinated international efforts.

The announcement is part of a broader three-country diplomatic tour through South America. Rubio traveled to Colombia before arriving in Ecuador and is scheduled to continue to Peru on Thursday. The itinerary underscores the administration’s focus on security and its strategy to expand influence across the Western Hemisphere through aggressive anti-crime operations.

Ecuador has undergone a significant shift in its security policy since Noboa assumed office in 2023. Facing a sharp rise in crime and drug-related violence linked to Pacific ports, the president has deployed thousands of military and police personnel to affected areas and declared a “state of war” against traffickers. This hardline stance aligns closely with Washington’s approach, leading to closer ties since Trump returned to office in 2025.

The two nations have engaged in joint military operations and collaborated on intercepting vessels linked to narcotrafficking. Recently, U.S. forces intercepted a boat connected to the criminal group Los Choneros, transferring suspects to Ecuadorian authorities in what was reported as the sixth such operation in under two weeks. Both countries have also joined the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, a regional security framework led by the United States.

Despite these cooperation efforts, the campaign has drawn criticism regarding human rights. Since September 2, 2025, U.S. forces have conducted approximately 68 lethal strikes against boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, resulting in over 220 deaths. Some victims’ families, including those in Ecuador, allege that fishermen with no ties to drug trafficking were killed. Legal experts have characterized some of these attacks as potential extrajudicial killings violating international law, highlighted by the case of an Ecuadorian survivor released in October 2025 due to lack of evidence.

Addressing these concerns, Rubio defended the operational strategy, insisting that the objective is strictly to target drug traffickers rather than civilian fishermen. As the first president in Ecuador’s modern history to be elected to a full term after initially completing a predecessor’s term, Noboa’s re-election in 2025 was heavily reliant on his pledge to crack down on the surge in gang violence.