Washington pledges $45 million and naval vessels to support Ecuador's anti-drug campaign
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a $45 million security package for Ecuador during a visit to Quito. The plan also includes a $10 million initiative to combat illegal gold mining, gang recruitment, and drug trafficking. The US will provide a coast guard cutter and five interceptor vessels, adding to seven vessels delivered earlier this year.
The announced assistance includes a coast guard cutter and five fast interceptor boats, supplementing seven vessels already transferred to Quito earlier this year. Concurrently, Washington formally designated the Ecuadorian gang Los Tiguerones as a foreign terrorist organization, citing its role in narcotics smuggling and the 2024 armed seizure of a television station.
Rubio's stopover forms part of a three-nation South American tour that has already included Colombia and will conclude in Peru. Ecuador's president, Daniel Noboa, has previously mobilized thousands of troops and police to combat criminal groups, framing the struggle as a domestic war, while the two nations have conducted joint military exercises since March.
This expanded security pact could significantly alter the security landscape in Ecuador, potentially reducing immediate cartel violence while also raising concerns about civil liberties under prolonged military deployments. The designation of gangs as terrorist groups may enable broader surveillance and enforcement powers, affecting local communities caught between criminal and state forces. Regional neighbors might feel pressure to adopt similar hardline stances, reshaping hemispheric security dynamics.