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4 clusters · 46 sources · 5 days · First seen 6 days ago · Last updated about 17 hours ago

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, a group of approximately 20 Latin American and Caribbean nations. These operations, conducted under strict secrecy, involve the U.S. Army’s 7th Group, a special forces unit specialized in unconventional warfare and insurgency suppression, according to Esmeraldas Governor Juan Jaramillo. Operations have been confirmed in areas such as San Lorenzo, Río Verde, and Eloy Alfaro.

To formalize this presence, the Ecuadorian government issued a ministerial agreement to regulate the entry of U.S. Department of Defense personnel, including military members, civilians, and contractors. Based on the existing Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), authorized individuals may enter via a special registry known as ‘Acts of Commerce and Activities’ without a visa and stay for up to 180 non-renewable days per calendar year. The regulations grant these personnel judicial immunity and exemptions from migration fees for both personnel and aircraft. Entry requires a valid U.S. passport or official identification alongside a Department of Defense movement order.

To bolster interdiction in coastal cities like Manta, Ecuadorian Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo announced the arrival of two U.S. warships, interceptor boats, and three Black Hawk helicopters to monitor maritime zones. This escalation follows a severe security crisis in Ecuador, where homicide rates reached a record 52 per 100,000 inhabitants last year.

Entities

United States Department of Defense · Daniel Noboa · Ecuador · Juan Jaramillo · Gian Carlo Loffredo

Claims

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

[● 9 SOURCES] The Ecuadorian government issued a ministerial agreement to regulate the entry of US Department of Defense personnel. www.telesurtv.net · estrategia.la · lajornadasanluis.com.mx · questiondigital.com · entrelineas.com.mx · +4 more
[● 9 SOURCES] US military and defense personnel can enter Ecuador without a visa using a special registry called ‘Acts of Commerce and Activities’. www.telesurtv.net · estrategia.la · lajornadasanluis.com.mx · questiondigital.com · entrelineas.com.mx · +4 more
[● 8 SOURCES] The new regulations are based on the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between Ecuador and the United States. estrategia.la · lajornadasanluis.com.mx · questiondigital.com · entrelineas.com.mx · www.nodal.am · +3 more
[● 8 SOURCES] The security cooperation aims to combat drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. estrategia.la · lajornadasanluis.com.mx · www.telesurenglish.net · eluniverso.com · noticiasnrt.com · +3 more
[● 5 SOURCES] The agreement includes exemptions from migration fees for US personnel and aircraft. estrategia.la · questiondigital.com · entrelineas.com.mx · lajornadasanluis.com.mx · dialogosdosul.operamundi.uol.com.br
[● 5 SOURCES] The Ecuadorian government and the United States are conducting joint operations to combat narcoterrorism. colmundoradio.com.co · athina984.gr · www.capital.gr · www.newsbeast.gr · www.expreso.ec
[● 5 SOURCES] Ecuadorian maritime interdiction capabilities will increase threefold due to the arrival of US assets. colmundoradio.com.co · athina984.gr · www.capital.gr · www.newsbeast.gr · www.expreso.ec
[● 5 SOURCES] Two US warships and three Black Hawk helicopters have arrived to support operations in Manta. colmundoradio.com.co · athina984.gr · www.capital.gr · www.newsbeast.gr · www.expreso.ec
[● 4 SOURCES] Ecuador recorded a homicide rate of 52 per 100,000 inhabitants last year. colmundoradio.com.co · athina984.gr · www.capital.gr · www.newsbeast.gr
[● 4 SOURCES] The operations are part of the Shield of the Americas anti-drug coalition. colmundoradio.com.co · athina984.gr · www.capital.gr · www.newsbeast.gr

Timeline

about 17 hours ago

[INTERNATIONAL] 5 sources
Ecuador and United States launch joint military operations against drug trafficking
Ecuador and the United States are conducting joint military operations in northern Ecuador to combat narcoterrorism and drug trafficking, deploying warships and helicopters to secure coastal regions.
2 days ago

[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.
3 days ago

[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.
6 days ago

[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

agerpres.ro · atgs.ch · athina984.gr · bpmoney.com.br · brasilemfolhas.com.br · ca.sports.yahoo.com · calibre800.com · capital.gr · cartacapital.com.br · cbn.globo.com · colmundoradio.com.co · cremation.com · deezer.com · dialogosdosul.operamundi.uol.com.br · elmercurio.com.ec · eluniverso.com · enikos.gr · entrelineas.com.mx · estrategia.la · expreso.ec · g4media.ro · gazetapodroznika.pl · ibtimes.co.uk · ibtimes.com · independent.co.uk · infomoney.com.br · it-boltwise.de · koerfer.ch · moncloa.com · newsbeast.gr · newsbomb.gr · nodal.am · noticiasnrt.com · ocafezinho.com · osul.com.br · prensa-latina.cu · prensalibre.com · questiondigital.com · sarajevo-x.com · siempre.mx · srnnews.com · telesurenglish.net · troyrecord.com · vilaghir.hu · whec.com · winnipegfreepress.com

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history