Ecuador readies a major offensive on criminal groups with US logistical support

Ecuador Prepares Major Military Offensive Against Crime Groups with U.S. Support

Ecuador will launch a significant military operation against criminal organizations in three of its most violent western provinces this weekend, with logistical assistance from the United States, Interior Minister John Reimberg announced Wednesday.

The offensive will target the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, areas that have been particularly affected by the country’s escalating crime crisis. Reimberg urged citizens to comply with an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew that will be enforced from March 15-30 in these regions.

“We do not want collateral victims from the attacks we are about to launch,” Reimberg said during an interview with a local radio station. “We have significant support from U.S. forces for the operations we are about to carry out.”

Residents in the affected provinces are being instructed to remain in their homes during curfew hours and to keep roads clear to allow for the movement of troops and military equipment. The minister emphasized that the operations aim to “destroy what they have built in various parts of the country,” though he declined to provide specific operational details, citing security concerns.

The announcement comes shortly after Ecuador and the United States began joint military operations against organized crime groups in the South American nation. Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan of U.S. Southern Command previously commended Ecuador’s armed forces for “their unwavering commitment to this fight, demonstrating courage and resolve through continued actions against narco-terrorists in their country.”

In a related development, Ecuador and the United States announced an agreement Wednesday to establish the first-ever FBI office in Ecuador. The office will initially operate from within the U.S. Embassy in Quito. U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Lawrence Petroni described the move as “a very important milestone” in strengthening cooperation between the FBI and Ecuadorian police.

Ecuadorian Vice President María José Pinto praised the initiative as essential for “better investigating and understanding criminal threats” that have plagued the nation in recent years.

Ecuador has been battling a severe security crisis since early 2021, when organized crime groups began a relentless campaign of violence across the country. These criminal organizations, according to police intelligence, maintain close operational ties with drug trafficking cartels in neighboring Colombia and Mexico.

The South American nation has increasingly become a critical logistical hub for international drug trafficking operations. Security experts note that Ecuador’s strategic location between major cocaine producers—primarily Colombia but also Peru—has made it an ideal staging and distribution point for narcotics. From Ecuadorian seaports, shipments are transported to Central America, the United States, Europe, and other global destinations.

This latest offensive represents a significant escalation in Ecuador’s fight against organized crime, which has transformed the once relatively peaceful country into one of the most violent in South America. The murder rate in Ecuador has quadrupled since 2018, according to government statistics, with much of the violence attributed to territorial disputes between rival criminal organizations competing for control of drug trafficking routes.

The involvement of U.S. forces in Ecuador’s security operations signals growing international concern about the deteriorating situation and recognition that transnational criminal networks require coordinated international responses.

The effectiveness of the upcoming offensive remains to be seen, but it represents one of the most ambitious security operations undertaken by Ecuador in recent years as it struggles to regain control from powerful criminal organizations that have deeply infiltrated many aspects of society and the economy.