American military personnel joined Ecuador’s security forces in raids and arrests around the country targeting alleged drug traffickers, as the Trump administration steps up its hands-on involvement in fighting Latin America’s criminal groups.
Vowing “unmatched military might” in the Western Hemisphere, US President Donald Trump has pursued closer security ties with right-wing governments and escalated military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats.
Trump’s approach is reshaping the role of the US military in a fight long led by Latin American security forces.
“What we are seeing in Ecuador is unlike anything we’ve seen even during the Cold War,” a security expert told The Wall Street Journal, adding it could signal US troops getting “very close to or participating in combat.”