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28 clusters · 396 sources · 58 days · First seen · Last updated

US military anti-drug operations in Latin America

Overview

The United States is expanding its military anti-drug campaign in Latin America, transitioning from maritime strikes to include land-based operations. This shift aims to target the logistical structures of criminal organizations on land rather than focusing solely on intercepting vessels at sea. In Ecuador, joint operations are active near the Colombian border as part of the ‘Shield of the Americas’ coalition. These operations involve the U.S. Army’s 7th Special Forces Group (Green Berets), according to Esmeraldas Governor Juan Jaramillo. To bolster interdiction, Ecuadorian Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo confirmed the arrival of U.S. assets, including warships such as the USS San Antonio and USS Gridley, as well as Black Hawk helicopters, to disrupt networks moving cocaine to the U.S. and Europe. To facilitate this, the Ecuadorian government issued a decree allowing U.S. military personnel to remain in the country for up to 180 days with migratory immunity. On August 16, 2026, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced an expansion of the campaign to include land-based operations in Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras, designating 20 Latin American criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations. While Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo denied such agreements exist without congressional approval, the U.S. has resumed lethal maritime strikes through ‘Operation Southern Spear.’ By mid-September 2026, the scale of the campaign has intensified. The U.S. administration has informed Congress that the nation is in an “armed conflict” against drug cartels. Based on a classified Justice Department finding, the administration has labeled those killed in maritime strikes as “unlawful combatants,” permitting lethal engagement without judicial review. Since resuming lethal operations against identified trafficking vessels on August 24, the U.S. has recorded 67 attacks resulting in 223 deaths. On October 7, 2026, an Ecuadorian judge acquitted 32 crew members of the fishing vessels Conquista II and María Candelaria of criminal association.

Entities

U.S. Southern Command · Ecuador · Los Choneros · US Southern Command · Donald Trump

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Coverage disagrees

Sources make claims that cannot both be true. CLSTR reports the disagreement; it does not decide who is right.

Timeline

  1. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Ecuadorian judge clears 32 crew members after US vessel destruction

    An Ecuadorian judge cleared 32 fishermen of drug trafficking links after their vessels were destroyed by US forces, highlighting tensions over sovereignty and transnational crime.

  2. [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    U.S. boat strikes kill at least 238 in Caribbean and Pacific

    U.S. strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific have killed at least 238 people since September 2025, with confirmed casualties among Caribbean nationals.

  3. [INTERNATIONAL] 10 sources
    Ecuadorian judge acquits 32 crew members of U.S.-sunk vessels

    An Ecuadorian judge acquitted 32 crew members of vessels sunk by U.S. forces, citing a lack of evidence linking them to drug trafficking or criminal organizations.

  4. [INTERNATIONAL] 44 sources
    US Southern Command kills four in Caribbean vessel strike

    The US military killed four suspected “narco-terrorists” in a Caribbean Sea strike on a high-speed vessel, continuing a year-long campaign that has killed over 235 people since September 2025.

  5. [CRIME] 4 sources
    Ecuador begins trials for crew of ships bombed by U.S. Marines

    Ecuador has begun trials against 88 crew members of five vessels sunk by U.S. Marines, accused of aiding drug trafficking and having links to the Los Choneros criminal group.

  6. [CRIME] 11 sources
    Ecuador security forces and U.S. military arrest 39 in CJNG drug operation

    Ecuadorian police and U.S. security forces arrested 39 people linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel during a major operation targeting cocaine trafficking routes.

  7. [INTERNATIONAL] 20 sources
    UN report: US maritime strikes on drug vessels may be crimes against humanity

    A UN report warns that US military strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific may constitute crimes against humanity, citing at least 223 deaths from 68 strikes since September 2025.

  8. [INTERNATIONAL] 74 sources
    U.S. military kills four in Caribbean boat strike

    The U.S. military killed four alleged “narco-terrorists” in a Caribbean boat strike on September 19. The operation is part of the “Southern Spear” campaign, which has caused over 230 deaths since September.

  9. [INTERNATIONAL] 8 sources
    United States sinks suspected drug trafficking refueling station in Pacific

    U.S. and Ecuadorian forces destroyed a floating refueling station in the Pacific linked to the Los Choneros criminal group as part of an ongoing maritime anti-narcotics campaign.

  10. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    US military strikes on drug trafficking vessels kill at least 230

    US military strikes against alleged drug trafficking vessels have killed at least 230 people and destroyed 78 boats as part of a declared “armed conflict” against drug cartels.

  11. [INTERNATIONAL] 36 sources
    U.S. forces sink vessel linked to Los Choneros in the Pacific

    U.S. forces intercepted and sank a vessel in the eastern Pacific on September 15, 2026, linked to the Ecuadorian criminal group Los Choneros. The ship served as a floating refueling station for drug trafficking

  12. [INTERNATIONAL] 18 sources
    U.S. military kills three in Caribbean strike against suspected drug vessel

    The U.S. military killed three people in a Caribbean strike against a suspected drug-trafficking vessel, part of a broader campaign that has caused over 230 deaths and sparked human rights concerns.

  13. [INTERNATIONAL] 29 sources
    U.S. military destroys Ecuadorian vessels in Pacific anti-drug campaign

    U.S. Southern Command has sunk six Ecuadorian vessels in the Pacific to disrupt Los Choneros drug-trafficking logistics. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is strengthening regional security alliances.

  14. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    US announces increased cooperation with Ecuador and Colombia against drug trafficking

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced enhanced cooperation with Ecuador and Colombia to fight drug cartels, including a request for $45 million in additional funding for Ecuador.

  15. [INTERNATIONAL] 46 sources
    U.S. forces sink vessel in Eastern Pacific linked to Los Choneros

    U.S. forces sank a vessel in the Eastern Pacific suspected of serving as a refueling station for the Los Choneros criminal group. This is the fifth such interception in less than two weeks.

  16. [INTERNATIONAL] 34 sources
    U.S. forces sink four vessels in Eastern Pacific suspected of drug trafficking links

    U.S. forces have sunk four vessels in the Eastern Pacific suspected of supporting Los Choneros drug trafficking. Twenty-eight crew members were released in Ecuador after a judge found insufficient evidence.

  17. [INTERNATIONAL] 39 sources
    U.S. and Ecuador sink vessels in joint anti-drug operation

    U.S. and Ecuadorian forces sank several vessels in the Eastern Pacific to disrupt Los Choneros drug trafficking, while families of the crew members claim the men were fishermen and demand answers.

  18. [INTERNATIONAL] 6 sources
    U.S. military strikes vessels in Caribbean and Pacific to combat drug trafficking

    U.S. military operations in the Caribbean and Pacific have resulted in four deaths during a lethal strike and the sinking of a vessel linked to the Los Choneros cartel, bringing total fatalities to 219.

  19. [INTERNATIONAL] 25 sources
    U.S. forces sink Los Choneros refueling vessel in Eastern Pacific

    U.S. forces, coordinating with Ecuador, intercepted and sank a Los Choneros refueling vessel in the Eastern Pacific to disrupt drug trafficking logistics.

  20. [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    US military strikes kill at least 227 in anti-drug campaign

    US military strikes targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific have killed at least 227 people as part of a declared “armed conflict” against drug cartels.

  21. [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    U.S. Green Berets conducting operations in Ecuador

    Ecuadorian officials confirmed U.S. Green Berets are conducting joint operations against drug cartels in Ecuador's Esmeraldas province as part of a broader regional anti-narcotics effort.

  22. [INTERNATIONAL] 25 sources
    US military strike in Caribbean kills four on suspected drug boat

    A US military strike on a vessel in the Caribbean killed four individuals identified as narco-terrorists. The operation is part of a broader campaign against drug cartels in the region.

  23. [INTERNATIONAL] 92 sources
    U.S. military strikes suspected drug vessel in Eastern Pacific

    The U.S. military resumed its maritime anti-drug campaign in the Eastern Pacific with a strike on a suspected narco-vessel, killing two people and marking the first such operation in over two months.

  24. [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    U.S. Southern Command reports lethal strikes against drug trafficking vessels

    U.S. Southern Command conducted lethal strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in multiple deaths as part of an intensified maritime crackdown.

  25. [INTERNATIONAL] 12 sources
    Ecuador and US launch joint military operations against narcoterrorism

    Ecuador and the US are conducting joint military operations in northern Ecuador to combat narcoterrorism under the Shield of the Americas coalition, deploying warships and helicopters to boost maritime inter딕t.

  26. [INTERNATIONAL] 17 sources
    Ecuador grants visa-free entry and immunity to US defense personnel

    Ecuador has implemented new rules allowing U.S. military and defense personnel to enter the country without a visa and with judicial immunity to support joint operations against drug trafficking.

  27. [INTERNATIONAL] 12 sources
    US and Ecuador launch joint military operations against drug trafficking

    The US and Ecuador are conducting joint military operations against narco-terrorism in northern Ecuador as part of the Shield of the Americas coalition to combat rising drug trafficking and violence.

  28. [INTERNATIONAL] 15 sources
    U.S. expands military anti-drug campaign to land in Latin America

    U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to expand anti-drug military operations from sea to land in Latin America, targeting designated terrorist organizations in partner nations.

Sources

14ymedio.com · 2001online.com · 20minutos.es · 24-ore.com · aajtak.com · abc11.com · abc17news.com · abcnews.al · actualidad.rt.com · adevarul.ro · aduc.it · agerpres.ro · ahora.com.pe · ahoradigital.net · ahwal.sa · aksiyon.com.tr · aktual24.ro · aktuelno.me · alaska-native-news.com · albiladpress.com · aldia.com.ec · aljazeera.com · alkuwaitnews.net · allegrini.it · almasalah.com · almomento.mx · almomento.net · altavoz.pe · alwatan.ae · anlatilaninotesi.com.tr · antigua.news · antiguatribune.com · army.ca · associatestimes.com · atento.com.do · atgs.ch · athina984.gr · axadletimes.com · bahamasspectator.com · bairdmaritime.com · bajotecho.com.do · balkanweb.com · balleralert.com · barbadosgazette.com · bavarodigital.net · blog.simplejustice.us · bokanews.me · bpmoney.com.br

This summary has been updated 63 times: see revision history