Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the US will blow up foreign crime groups if necessary, potentially in collaboration with other countries.
Now they're gonna help us find these people and blow them up, if that's what it takes, Rubio said during his visit to Ecuador.
He also announced the designation of two of Ecuador's largest criminal gangs, Los Lobos and Los Choneros, as foreign terrorist organizations.
The comments come days after US forces executed a strike on a boat in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the death of 11 drug-traffickers, though their identities were not disclosed.
Late on Thursday, the defense department accused two Venezuelan military aircraft of approaching a US vessel in what was described as a highly provocative move, complicating counter-narcotics operations in the region.
Rubio asserted that smugglers linked to allied nations, like Mexico and Ecuador, may be subjected to unilateral execution by US forces if they cooperate with the US government.
He emphasized, The president has said he wants to wage war on these groups because they've been waging war on us for 30 years and no one has responded. But there's no need to do that in many cases with the friendly governments, because the friendly governments are going to help us.
Both the Ecuadorian and Mexican governments have not explicitly stated they would support military strikes.
The recent strike targeted members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua as they attempted to transport illegal narcotics towards the US, prompting President Donald Trump to call the action necessary.
Legal experts have raised concerns that the strike may have breached international human rights and maritime law.
Rubio additionally announced a $13.5 million security aid package and $6 million in drone technology to assist Ecuador in combating drug trafficking, a response to the rising violence tied to criminal gangs fighting over drug routes.
The Ecuadorian government estimates that approximately 70% of the world's cocaine routes pass through the country en route to markets in the US, Europe, and Asia.
Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa has advocated for international military support against gangs, describing his crackdown as a war, and has sought constitutional changes to allow foreign military bases to re-enter the country.
The designation of Los Lobos and Los Choneros enables the US to target the assets of anyone affiliated with these groups and to share intelligence with Ecuadorian authorities.
This escalating cartel violence has also driven many Ecuadorians to seek asylum in the US, raising concerns about how the cartel designation could affect asylum seekers.
