Ecuadorian authorities announced on Friday that they have deployed 10,000 military personnel to counter drug gangs blamed for a surge in violence across the Latin American nation.
Located between two of the world’s largest cocaine producers, Colombia and Peru, Ecuador has become a transit hub for narcotics, experiencing escalating violence due to clashes among gangs linked to Mexican and Colombian cartels.
To address the crisis, the government of President Daniel Noboa, a regional ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, has strengthened its security forces.
Among the 10,000 troops deployed were hundreds of special forces members, who landed in the key city of Guayaquil. Defense Minister Giancarlo Loffredo ordered military operations to continue in the city for an indefinite period.
Military aircraft were also dispatched to Manta, the country’s main fishing port, which serves as a critical hub for transit operations.
Earlier, in mid-December, Washington announced the deployment of U.S. troops to Ecuador as part of a temporary mission to assist in anti-drug trafficking operations.
