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While many people have had their attention turned to the Middle East in the past week, the United States military has continued its mission of protecting the western hemisphere, launching joint operations in another South American country after arresting Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela in early January.
On Tuesday, U.S. forces launched joint operations against designated terrorist organizations in Ecuador, U.S. Southern Command announced in a press release.
'Together, we are taking decisive action to confront narco-terrorists who have long inflicted terror, violence, and corruption on citizens throughout the hemisphere.'
U.S. Southern Command described the operations as a "powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism."
"Together, we are taking decisive action to confront narco-terrorists who have long inflicted terror, violence, and corruption on citizens throughout the hemisphere," the press release added.
Drugs seized in the joint operation carried out since January of last year. U.S. Embassy of Ecuador
“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," said Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command.
The press release included video footage from the operation. The video shows some shots of helicopters lifting off, and some aerial footage shows a group of men gathering around or loading into a helicopter.
The announcement of the operations in Ecuador was nearly contemporaneous with another large drug bust that resulted from the cooperation of U.S., Ecuadorian, and Europol forces, according to the U.S. Embassy of Ecuador.
This joint operation, which had reportedly been carried out since January 2025, reportedly successfully dismantled the transnational drug trafficking organization Hernán Ruilova Barzola, linked to the Los Lobos cartel. Los Lobos emerged as Ecuador's largest drug trafficking organization in recent years following the assassination of the leader of a rival gang in 2020. By June 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Los Lobos as the country was engulfed in increasing violence, according to a press release at the time.
Authorities successfully apprehended 16 suspects, including a high-value target, and "significant quantities of cocaine and cash."
The embassy lauded the conclusion of the operation as an "important milestone in disrupting the operations and finances of narcoterrorists, directly contributing to the security of the United States."
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