The U.S. military said Tuesday that it launched a joint operation with Ecuador against drug gangs as the Trump administration expands its campaign against drug traffickers in Latin America. The U.S. Southern Command said on X that Ecuadorean and U.S. military forces launched operations against designated terrorist organizations in Ecuador. He praised Ecuador as “one of the United States’ strongest partners” in going after drug traffickers and criminal groups. Last year, the Trump administration launched a military campaign against low-level drug traffickers by blowing up alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific. Ecuadorean security forces have had some success against gangs, including the capture of the country’s two most powerful drug bosses last year.

Source: Wall Street Journal March 05, 2026 12:35 UTC