Ecuador Defense Minister Meets U.S. Southern Command Chief in Quito

Ecuador's Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo met with U.S. Southern Command chief Gen. Francis Donovan in Quito to bolster cooperation against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. The high-level meeting, also involving Ecuador's Chief of the Joint Command Gen. Henry Delgado, focused on enhancing joint capabilities, intelligence sharing, and overall cooperation to combat criminal organizations more effectively.

The Ministry of Defense highlighted that this alliance is designed to "add capabilities, intelligence, and cooperation to hit the mafias harder and protect those who matter most: our families." This statement underscores the shared objective of protecting citizens from the pervasive threat of organized crime.

This engagement occurs just two weeks after the U.S. Southern Command launched the Western Hemisphere Joint Working Group with 18 countries from the Coalition Against the Cartels of the Americas, an initiative Ecuador joined in March. The coalition, also known as the "Shield of the Americas," aims to strengthen regional security cooperation against transnational criminal networks.

Ecuador has been grappling with escalating violence and has declared an "internal armed conflict" since January 2024, targeting numerous criminal groups identified by the government as "terrorists." The ongoing security challenges underscore the importance of international partnerships like the one with the U.S. Southern Command in addressing these complex threats.