Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday provided new details on the Trump administration's evolving strategy to combat drug trafficking in Latin American waters, stressing a shift toward collaboration with allied nations and respect for their legal frameworks—while making clear that the U.S. military retains the authority to use lethal force when necessary.
“We are working with our partners, and that is a significant change,” Rubio told reporters in Quito, Ecuador, during a three-nation tour of South America. “But if we have to blow up ships, we will still do that.”
The comments come roughly a year after Washington initiated a campaign of unilateral strikes against vessels it labeled as belonging to “narcoterrorists” in international waters. According to U.S. Southern Command, the latest such strike occurred late Wednesday in the Caribbean Sea, killing three people. That brings the total number of fatalities from U.S. military boat strikes to at least 230 across 69 operations.
However, the administration is now seeking to formalize joint operations with regional allies, including Colombia and Ecuador, that would operate within their territorial waters and in compliance with local laws. Rubio called this an “incredible advance,” noting that for the first time, countries are willing to participate in these efforts in their own waters.
“The important point is that these routes are being disrupted,” Rubio said. “These routes are being ended.” He added that each operation is a “strike-by-strike or operation-by-operation determination” based on the threat level and location of the vessel.
The recent U.S. interdictions differ from the initial strikes. In the latest operations, U.S. forces have been stopping vessels, removing individuals, and transferring them to Ecuadorian authorities before destroying the boats. This approach was applied to floating refueling stations believed to be supporting drug trafficking.
The shift follows a series of strikes over the past year on boats whose occupants were accused of being “narcoterrorists” without public evidence being provided. The new cooperative model is part of a broader administration push to build security partnerships with conservative leaders in the region who have aligned with President Donald Trump.
During his visit, Rubio praised Ecuador as the most “aggressive” partner in the administration's efforts against transnational criminal organizations. He met with President Daniel Noboa, who has embraced Trump's hardline stance on counternarcotics and immigration. Rubio said “elite forces” from both countries are “working jointly on a day-to-day basis in a way that has no precedent” to dismantle these groups.
Rubio also singled out Mexico as an “even graver challenge” due to the power of cartels there. He expressed hope for a cooperative approach, saying, “Eventually that threat will have to be confronted one way or the other. But our hope is to do it cooperatively with Mexican authorities.” He acknowledged that Mexican authorities have done “more than they’ve ever done before” but added that it is “still not nearly enough.”
In a related move, Rubio announced the designation of Ecuador's Los Tiguerones as a foreign terrorist organization. The gang was among 22 criminal groups labeled as “terrorists” by Ecuador in 2024 after the country declared an internal armed conflict amid a surge in violence, including a live-television studio attack. The designation makes the group a potential target for U.S. military action.
Ecuador has been actively assisting U.S. operations, including the interception and sinking of a vessel on Tuesday linked to Los Choneros, another Ecuadorian criminal group. This was the sixth such operation in less than two weeks. Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Roberto Kury called his country “a loyal ally, an active ally and a decisive ally” in building a safer hemisphere.
Rubio said he would request $45 million from Congress to continue funding these counterterrorism efforts, though he did not specify the exact use of the funds. Ecuador, located between Colombia and Peru—the world's top cocaine producers—has struggled with drug-related violence since 2021 as local gangs partner with cartels to control smuggling routes and coastal ports.
During the visit, Rubio received Ecuador's second-highest national honor, the National Order of Merit in the degree of Grand Cross, for his role in strengthening bilateral ties. He is scheduled to travel next to Lima to meet Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori, another ally of Trump's tough-on-drugs approach. On Tuesday, he met with Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella in Barranquilla.
