Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the U.S. military campaign against vessels suspected of participating in drug trafficking and assured that Washington will continue to attack criminal organizations that he said pose a growing threat to Latin American governments. During his visit to Ecuador, Rubio said the United States did not seek to kill fishermen during operations in the Pacific, after at least six Ecuadorian vessels were sunk since August 28.
“No one wants to kill fishermen here,” Rubio said. The official said the target was drug traffickers, vessels used to transport drugs and those involved in illegal fishing activities.
These terrorist groups have to be dismantled not just by blowing up their boats and taking their boats; they have to be dismantled financially. pic.twitter.com/xN6CuiaGzi
Rubio explained that the most recent operations with Ecuador are carried out jointly and in territorial waters, so each intervention depends on the vessel, the threat it represents and the laws of the country where it occurs. “Each target is carefully selected,” he said, noting that operations go through the lawyers of the War Department and must be aligned with bilateral agreements and protocols.
However, the secretary made it clear that the United States remains open to the possibility of destroying vessels when it deems it necessary. “Well, again, it depends, and we continue to exploit ships if necessary,” he replied when asked about the new strategy of first intercepting some ships and stopping his crew.
The Southern Command later that U.S. forces carried out a “lethal kinetic attack” on a fast boat operating on known carrier routes in the Caribbean. According to Southcom, three “narco-terrorists” were killed.
On September 9, under the direction of #SOUTHCOM, the Western Hemisphere Joint Task Force executed a lethal kinetic strike on a go-fast vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean. Confirmed intelligence revealed the ship's active involvement in? pic.twitter.com/B9Ec4bCepT
Rubio presented the offensive as part of a broader strategy to prevent criminal groups from ending up controlling territories and weakening governments in the region. “If they don’t deal with these groups, they will devour these living countries,” he warned. “It’s like a cancer that continues to grow until, literally, there’s no more State.”
The secretary also supported Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and announced during his visit the designation of Los Tiguerones as a “terrorist organization.” Violence linked to criminal gangs has left more than 25,000 people killed in Ecuador over the past three years, according to information provided during the visit.
The official also addressed harsh criticism of Mexico and argued that there are “vast territories” where the State does not exercise control due to the power of cartels. “Now, I have to say the following: To be fair, the Mexicans have done more than ever to pursue these groups. But it is not enough yet,” he said.
Rubio said Washington hopes to work with Mexican authorities, although he warned that the United States will end up facing the threat in one way or another if the cartels continue to pose a risk to U.S. national security. The Secretary made his statements during a tour of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru aimed at strengthening the security cooperation and economic ties of the Trump administration with allied governments in the region.
