US-Ecuador Military Ops vs Drug Trafficking

0:00Sydney stories making news on March 4th. Ecuador and the United States are teaming up for joint military operations to fight drug trafficking. Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa announced that these efforts with regional allies, including the U.S., will kick off this month. The U.S. Southern Command calls it a push against narcole terrorism that's brought violence and corruption to the region. Around 70% of the cocaine from top producers Columbia and Peru moves through Ecuador's ports on its way to global markets. This trade has sparked a brutal gang war, turning one of Latin America's safest spots into a deadly hotspot in just a few years. President Noboa met with top U.S. military leaders in Keto to plan ahead. They talked about sharing intelligence and coordinating at airports and seaports. Ecuador's defense ministry described the ops as an offensive move, though details stay classified. To tackle the chaos, Noboa ordered a curfew from March 15th to 30th in four of the most violent provinces, Guayas, Los Rios, Santo Domingo.

1:04Delos de Chilas and El Oro. The interior minister urged people to stay home, saying the country is at war. Security ties between the U.S. and Ecuador have grown stronger since Noboa took office in 2023. While a U.S. base reopening got rejected by voters, the U.S. recently sent Air Force personnel to a port city site and helped take down a major cartel. Boston, Mexico? Support for this DNN episode comes from our sponsor. If sleep podcasts are your thing, this is your pillow. Built for comfort and calm, S-O-L-I-SoliPillo.com.