5 Mar 2026
A coordinated US–Ecuador military campaign began on March 3, 2026, targeting groups the Trump administration labelled “designated terrorist organisations.”
Following months of maritime strikes on suspected drug‑smuggling vessels and broader efforts to classify major cartels as terrorist entities, the Trump administration launched a coordinated coup in Ecuador.
The operation targets Los Lobos and Los Choneros, two cartels designated as foreign terrorist organisations. They are close allies with the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which unleashed the chaos in Mexico last month.
American forces are supporting Ecuadorian troops through intelligence, logistics, and planning, though the full scope remains undisclosed.
Facing escalating violence linked to drug trafficking and illegal mining, Ecuador sought deeper security partnerships, including temporary deployments of foreign special forces.
Critics argue that the US approach blurs the line between crime control and warfare. It raises concerns about legality, civilian impact, and the simultaneous strain of US military engagements in Iran. Supporters frame the operation as necessary to counter entrenched narco‑terror networks destabilising the region.
Check out my new book, THE BLACK FLAMES. A gripping, high-stakes mystery.