U.S. Opens Military Action in Ecuador Against 'Terrorist Organizations'

[applegrove]

U.S. Opens Military Action in Ecuador Against ‘Terrorist Organizations’

The U.S. Southern Command said that the joint activity with Ecuador was an effort to “combat the scourge of narco-terrorism,” but did not provide other details about the operation.

By Eric Schmitt
Reporting from Washington

March 3, 2026, 9:32 p.m. ET

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/us/politics/us-ecuador-trump-military-operations.html

The United States and Ecuador conducted joint military operations against “designated terrorist organizations” in the South American country, the Pentagon said on Tuesday night, in what appeared to be a major expansion of the U.S. military’s unilateral strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific that the Trump administration has accused of carrying drugs.

“The operations are a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism,” the United States Southern Command said in a statement, which did not provide other details about the operations.

Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the head of Southern Command, said in a statement that “we commend the men and women of the Ecuadorian armed forces for their unwavering commitment to this fight, demonstrating courage and resolve through continued actions against narco-terrorists in their country.”

[OC375]

1. China won't like that

[Coventina]

2. How many wars do we have now? I've lost track.

So much winning!

[Bayard]

3. MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!!

[applegrove]

4. I know like attacking narco-terrorists in Equador is going

to knock war breaking out in the Middle East off the front pages. What's next Bolivia?

[LudwigPastorius]

5. How's that Board of Peace thing going, Donald?

[GreenWave]

6. Their President is a jingoist's ideal dream come true

Noboa's win means he has a mandate to continue his self-described "war" on criminal drug gangs, which has included militarising Ecuador's streets and prisons, and constructing new maximum-security prisons.

He recently told the BBC he wanted foreign armies from places such as the US and Europe to join his fight against gangs in the country.

He is hoping to change the constitution to allow foreign military bases in the country again, which were banned under the presidency of Rafael Correa - the mentor of González.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gr8dw20evo

[DFW]

7. So what else is new?

In 2001, I was invited by the government of Ecuador to go down there on a totally unrelated issue. I am talking about 25 years ago. I remember my surprise at seeing US troops in small groups in the hotel lobby dressed in combat fatigues. I had no idea what they were up to, but whatever it was, they don’t seem to have been very good at it if we’re still sending more of them.