Photo: GERARDO MENOSCAL / AFP / Getty Images
The United States military has participated in its first land-based joint operation with Ecuador targeting drug cartels, marking a significant escalation in President Trump's campaign against Latin American narco-terrorism.
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced on Tuesday (March 3) that American and Ecuadorian military forces launched coordinated operations against what officials are calling "Designated Terrorist Organizations" inside Ecuador. A source familiar with the operation told ABC News that the U.S. role was limited to advising Ecuadorian troops and did not include direct participation in the ground operation itself.
American military advisors provided planning, intelligence, and operational support in preparation for the mission. The actual ground and airlift operations were carried out entirely by Ecuadorian forces, according to the source.
This is the first time the U.S. military has been involved in a land operation as part of President Trump's broader fight against Latin American drug cartels. Until now, American military activity had been limited to airstrikes targeting drug-smuggling vessels in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean.
SOUTHCOM released a video alongside its announcement, which appears to show Ecuadorian forces and aircraft in action, though no specific operational details were provided. Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, praised the Ecuadorian military in a statement.
"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," Donovan said.
SOUTHCOM also framed the operation as a broader regional commitment, writing in a post on X that "the operations are a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism."