US announces $45m in security funding, additional naval vessels for Ecuador

What the report says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Quito, Ecuador, that the Trump administration will seek $45 million in security funding for Ecuador as part of closer cooperation with President Daniel Noboa’s government. According to Al Jazeera, Rubio presented the package during a visit on Wednesday and described Ecuador as Washington’s most engaged partner in efforts against drug trafficking and organized crime.

The announcement also includes a separate $10 million initiative aimed at illegal gold mining, gang recruitment and drug trafficking. Rubio said the United States will provide a coast guard cutter and five interceptor boats to support Ecuador’s navy, in addition to seven vessels delivered earlier this year. The visit comes amid a broader three-country tour of South America that had already included Colombia and was set to continue in Peru.

Al Jazeera reported that the US and Ecuador have strengthened security ties since 2025, with joint military operations and coordination against maritime trafficking. The Ecuadorian government under Noboa has taken a hardline stance on crime, deploying troops and police in high-violence areas as drug gangs have expanded their reach through Pacific ports. Quito has also joined a US-led regional security framework.

During the trip, Rubio also designated the Ecuador-based group Los Tiguerones as a foreign terrorist organization, citing narcotics trafficking and violence. The report noted that both governments face criticism over human rights concerns linked to anti-drug operations, though Rubio defended the US campaign as aimed at traffickers rather than fishermen.