The Donald Trump administration declared war on drug cartels in Latin America. It designated drug trafficking organizations as 'foreign terrorist organizations' and announced a shift in its eradication strategy to sinking vessels used by these groups instead of seizing them.
Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, visited Quito, the capital of Ecuador, on the 4th (local time) and announced in a joint press conference after meeting with President Daniel Noboa that 'the drug organizations in Ecuador, "Los Choneros" and "Los Lobos," will be designated as foreign terrorist organizations (FTO).' He referred to them as 'wicked animals,' expressing strong hostility. Being designated as an FTO will freeze assets in the United States, and individuals or organizations that do business with them will also face sanctions.
This move came immediately after the recent sinking of a drug vessel in the Caribbean. The U.S. military attacked a drug transportation ship suspected of being operated by the Venezuela-based criminal organization 'Tren de Aragua,' killing 11 people. Minister Rubio stated, 'The existing interdiction operations are ineffective,' and said, 'The way to stop them is to blow them up.'
The United States went a step further by proposing to use allied countries as 'proxies.' Minister Rubio stated, 'The cooperating countries' governments will help find and blow up the criminal organizations,' adding, 'They (the cooperating countries) may carry out direct attacks, and we will assist them.' The New York Times analyzed this as a sign that the U.S. military plans to pass on the sinking operation methods to its allies. To align with this approach, the U.S. promised $13 million in security funding and $6 million worth of naval drones to Ecuador. It also mentioned that it could consider reinstalling a U.S. military base if requested by Ecuador.
Once considered the safest country in South America, Ecuador has become a massive crime den in recent years due to the influx of Mexican and Colombian cartels. Exploiting its status as the world's largest banana exporter, gangs are hiding cocaine in banana containers and smuggling it to Europe and the United States. As a result of territorial disputes occurring during this process, the homicide rate has surged by 40% this year compared to last year, reaching one of the highest levels in South America.
However, experts pointed out that the U.S. new approach has significant potential for violations of international law. Benjamin Gedan, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University, told CNN, 'The conventional method is to stop the vessel, board it, capture suspects, and seize drugs and money,' adding, 'Firing from the air and killing 11 is unprecedented.' Nearby Latin American countries are also reacting strongly. The Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs emphasized the principles of 'non-intervention' and 'peaceful conflict resolution' during a meeting with Minister Rubio. Claudia Sheinbaum, the President of Mexico, also stated that the U.S. unilateral military intervention is a 'red line.' The Venezuelan government condemned the sinking of the drug vessel as 'extrajudicial killings without any trial procedures.'