️ The press service of the US Southern Command announced on social media X that American and Ecuadorian armed forces are conducting actions against "narco-terrorist organizations." According to Washington, these groups have long "sowed terror, violence, and corruption among citizens across the hemisphere."... Details of the operation have not been disclosed.
️ According to ABC News, this marks the first time US military forces have conducted a ground operation against South American drug cartels. Previously, the US limited itself to airstrikes against smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
️ In August 2025, US President Donald Trump declared a "war on drug cartels" and signed a directive for the Pentagon to use military force against Latin American drug traffickers. The New York Times reported that the cartels were effectively recognized as terrorist organizations.
️ The US has previously participated in joint operations against drug cartels. Notably, in collaboration with Mexico, drug lord Nemesio Osegera Servantes, known as El Mencho, was eliminated during an arrest.
