Bogota, Colombia – U.S. and Ecuadorian forces announced yesterday the launch of a joint operation against drug trafficking in Ecuador, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
The first offensive targeted Comandos de la Frontera, a Colombian armed group operating on both sides of the Ecuadorian border, according to the Ecuadorian Joint Command.
The announcement comes amid a surge in domestic violence in Ecuador and is the latest sign of the White House’s increasingly aggressive anti-drug policies, which have included a campaign of boat bombings in the Caribbean and Pacific.
“Together, we are taking decisive action to confront narco-terrorists who have long inflicted terrorism, violence and corruption on citizens around the world,” SOUTHCOM said in a statement released Tuesday.
The announcement included video showing a military helicopter taking off and an aerial video of a helicopter hovering over marching soldiers.
Ecuadorian officials gave more details at a news conference Wednesday, saying the operation was targeting illegal mining and would continue for an “undetermined period of time.”
Drug trafficking is an important source of income for criminal organizations, but illegal gold mining has become increasingly prominent in recent years as precious metal prices soar.
The first operation targeted Comandos de la Frontera, but analysts say it could be expanded to include a number of U.S.-designated terrorist organizations in Ecuador.
“We can also expect operations to focus on Ecuadorian groups such as Los Lobos and Los Choneros, which are subject to U.S. sanctions and designated foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration,” said Glaeldys González Calanche, southern Andes analyst at the International Crisis Group.
She pointed out that Los Lobos is particularly involved in illegal gold mining.
Last month, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa signed two military cooperation agreements with Washington to help Ecuador fight organized crime. Ecuador has had the highest murder rate in Latin America for the past three years, and homicides are expected to increase by more than 40 percent by 2025.
The violence is largely linked to transnational organized crime, and Ecuador has recently become a major departure point for contraband, including gold and cocaine.
Washington has made counternarcotics a core tenet of its foreign policy. Since September, Latin America has reported 41 attacks on drug ships, killing 152 people.
But analysts say the White House’s approach to combating organized crime is unlikely to produce long-term results.
“These operations, which rely heavily on firepower, may impact illicit operations or weaken criminal groups, but they will not provide a lasting solution to the national security crisis,” González said.
“These measures overlook the deeper drivers of organized crime, including collusion between illegal groups and officials at ports and state institutions, prison systems under crime control, and weak social safety nets,” the analyst added.
Featured Image Description: Video screenshot of a helicopter taking off as part of a joint U.S.-Ecuador operation.
Featured image source: SOUTHCOM
