During his visit to Ecuador on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the U.S. military’s controversial airstrikes targeting boats suspected of drug trafficking, asserting that Latin American cartels would severely undermine these nations if unaddressed. Shortly after Rubio’s remarks, the U.S. military confirmed another airstrike in the Caribbean Sea that resulted in fatalities.
Rubio praised a new cadre of conservative leaders in Latin America who have aligned themselves with President Trump, emphasizing that Washington is finding partners prepared to take a strong stance against criminal organizations.
Since Trump resumed office, the U.S. has executed airstrikes against vessels operating on known trafficking routes in both the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in over 200 reported deaths according to Pentagon statistics.
Human rights organizations, fishermen, and their families have raised concerns regarding these strikes, claiming that boats were targeted without adequate evidence linking them to drug trafficking activities. Additionally, some experts have questioned the effectiveness of these operations in reducing the influx of cocaine and other narcotics into the United States, the largest consumer globally.
After discussions with President Daniel Noboa in Quito, Rubio affirmed that such military operations would persist. He cautioned, “If these groups are not confronted, they will consume these countries.” He metaphorically described the situation as a cancer that expands until it completely dismantles a state.
Rubio expressed relief at the emergence of regional leaders committed to combating these criminal entities, stating that without this commitment, there would be a succession of failed states.
Recent weeks have indicated a tactical shift, as U.S.-Ecuadorian joint patrols have removed crews from at least six boats before sinking them. Just last week, the U.S. military intercepted and sank a vessel allegedly associated with the Ecuadorian gang Los Choneros, which is involved in maritime drug trafficking. This operation followed another that destroyed a different vessel linked to the same criminal organization.
Rubio clarified that decisions regarding the targeting of vessels are made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the perceived threat, vessel location, and applicable local laws. He stated, “When conducting a joint operation in territorial waters, it’s vital to agree on how those operations will be executed.” When asked about the continued destruction of vessels, he responded, “It depends, and we still blow up ships.”
Later that day, the U.S. military’s Southern Command announced that American forces had executed a “lethal kinetic strike” on a vessel operating along established drug trafficking routes in the Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of three individuals identified as narco-terrorists. This announcement included footage of the vessel being destroyed.
In Ecuador, more than 25,000 people have been murdered over the past three years due to ongoing battles among drug gangs for control of trafficking routes. Rubio remarked, “We are dealing with terrorists who, in many instances, possess weaponry and resources comparable to national armies.”
Earlier this year, American commandos collaborated with Ecuadorian forces in a mission aimed at dismantling a suspected criminal operation linked to a narco-terrorist group along Ecuador’s coastline.
Violence from criminal gangs remains rampant in Ecuador, particularly following the June 2025 recapture of the nation’s most notorious drug lord, Adolfo Macías, after his escape from a high-security prison in 2024. In July 2025, Macías was extradited to the U.S. to face multiple charges related to drug trafficking and firearms.
While in Quito, Rubio announced the designation of the Ecuadorian gang Los Tiguerones as a “terrorist organization” and imposed sanctions on seven former Ecuadorian officials. Los Tiguerones gained international notoriety in early 2024 when armed gang members invaded a television studio during a live broadcast.
This designation follows the U.S. labeling of another Ecuadorian gang, the “Chone Killers,” as a foreign terrorist organization just two months prior. The Chone Killers are an offshoot of Los Chineros, which the U.S. designated as a foreign terrorist group in 2020. Among Ecuador’s prominent drug trafficking and extortion gangs are Los Lobos (The Wolves) and Los Choneros, both of which have connections to international cartels, with Los Lobos also designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. last year.
After concluding his visits to Colombia and Ecuador, Rubio arrived in Lima on Wednesday, where he plans to meet with Peruvian leaders as part of his tour aimed at strengthening alliances with right-wing governments and enhancing U.S. influence in the region.
In Colombia, Rubio committed to restoring “natural relations” with Bogotá following years of leftist governance, while he expressed more critical views regarding Mexico, suggesting that although it has intensified its fight against cartels, it still falls short of what is necessary. He remarked, “There are vast territories in Mexico that remain ungoverned by the state,” emphasizing that this threat must be addressed decisively.
