US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has pledged to use military force against foreign criminal cartels if necessary, warning that Washington will not hesitate to “blow them up” in collaboration with friendly governments.
Speaking during a visit to Ecuador on Thursday, Rubio announced that the United States will designate Los Lobos and Los Choneros two of Ecuador’s most powerful and violent gangs as foreign terrorist organisations.
“Now they’re gonna help us find these people and blow them up, if that’s what it takes,” Rubio said. “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.”
The remarks came days after US forces carried out an airstrike on a vessel in the southern Caribbean Sea, killing 11 suspected drug traffickers. The White House said the targets were members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang, but did not release their identities.
When asked if smugglers from US allies such as Mexico and Ecuador might face unilateral military action, Rubio suggested such steps would not be necessary. “There’s no need to do that in many cases with the friendly governments, because the friendly governments are going to help us,” he said.
Neither Ecuador nor Mexico has publicly said they would assist with potential US strikes. Legal experts also warned the recent Caribbean operation could have violated international maritime and human rights law.
The US Defence Department added fresh tensions late Thursday, accusing two Venezuelan military aircraft of flying close to an American vessel in what it called a “highly provocative move designed to interfere with our counter narco-terror operations.” Venezuela has yet to respond.
Alongside the tougher stance, Washington pledged $13.5 million in security aid and $6 million in drone technology to help Ecuador confront escalating gang violence. Violence in the Andean nation has surged as cartels battle for control of lucrative cocaine trafficking routes from Colombia and Peru.
According to Ecuadorian authorities, nearly 70% of the world’s cocaine now passes through the country en route to markets in the US, Europe and Asia. President Daniel Noboa has described his campaign against gangs as a “war” and welcomed Washington’s decision to classify Los Lobos and Los Choneros as terrorist organisations.
In an interview, Noboa said he would be “glad” if the US and Europe recognised the groups as terrorists. “That’s what they really are,” he said, adding that he wants foreign militaries to join his crackdown.
The new designation will allow the US to freeze gang-related assets share intelligence with Ecuador, and take “potentially lethal” actions against members of the organisations.
But immigration law experts note the move could complicate asylum claims by Ecuadorians fleeing cartel violence. While the designation may bolster claims that they are victims of terrorism, others who have paid extortion fees to gangs could be accused of “material support” and penalised.
The tougher approach underscores Washington’s growing concern over surging drug flows, cartel-driven violence, and migration pressures from Ecuador all of which Rubio framed as national security threats to the United States.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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