U.S. military personnel and Ecuadorian law enforcement carried out coordinated raids across eight Ecuadorian cities early Thursday, arresting 30 members of a network linked to the Mexican criminal organization Cartel Jalisco New Generation, or CJNG, according to Breitbart News.
The operation marked a significant blow to the cartel’s efforts to establish a pipeline that moves narcotics from Colombia through Ecuador and onward to Mexico, with the ultimate destination being the United States.
Eight-Month Investigation Exposed Direct Cartel Presence
Ecuador’s Interior Minister John Reimberg said the arrested individuals had no ties to local gangs or criminal groups, but rather operated directly on behalf of CJNG. The case stemmed from an eight-month investigation that revealed the cartel’s primary mission in Ecuador was to funnel drugs via waterways north into Central America, Mexico, and eventually the U.S. or Europe.
The raids involved 50 members of the U.S. military’s Southern Command working alongside more than 320 Ecuadorian officers. The coordinated strike, carried out in the early morning hours, targeted multiple locations simultaneously to disrupt the network’s operations.
Reimberg also noted that Ecuadorian authorities have seized $322 million worth of drugs from Mexican cartels so far this year, underscoring the scale of the trafficking challenge facing the region.
Shield of the Americas Initiative Expands Cooperation
The successful operation in Ecuador falls under the Shield of the Americas, a collaborative effort among certain Latin American nations and the U.S. government to combat what they designate as terrorist cartels. The initiative reflects a broader shift in regional security strategy, with conservative leaders increasingly aligning with Washington to confront transnational criminal organizations operating in the Western Hemisphere.
Earlier this month, Breitbart Texas’s Bob Price reported from Quito that Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa had fully aligned his administration with the U.S. strategy to dismantle these groups. During high-level bilateral meetings in the Ecuadorian capital, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Ecuador as the Trump administration’s most aggressive partner in the hemisphere-wide push against drug trafficking networks.
Rubio’s remarks signaled a dramatic realignment in South American security posture, as like-minded governments join forces with the U.S. to target cartels that have expanded their reach far beyond Mexico’s borders. Ecuador, once a transit country, has become a focal point in the fight against groups like CJNG, which have established operational hubs to manage the flow of cocaine and other illicit substances.
Mexico’s Continued Refusal to Participate
Despite these gains, Mexico’s government has declined to participate in the initiative and continues to restrict U.S. law enforcement involvement in targeting Mexican terrorist cartels. That stance stands in contrast to Ecuador’s willingness to host U.S. troops for joint operations, highlighting a divide in how regional governments approach the cartel threat.
The raids in Ecuador represent one of the most visible demonstrations of the Shield of the Americas to date, bringing together military personnel and police in a coordinated effort that officials say will disrupt the supply chain feeding addiction and violence across the hemisphere. Authorities have not released the names of those arrested, and investigations are ongoing.
The operation also underscores the growing role of U.S. Southern Command in counternarcotics missions, particularly in countries that have requested assistance. For Ecuador, the partnership with Washington offers resources and training to confront a problem that has overwhelmed local forces in recent years. For the U.S., the collaboration aims to choke off cartel revenue before drugs reach American streets.
As the region reacts, the outcome in Ecuador may serve as a test case for future joint efforts. Successes like Thursday’s raids could encourage other nations to join the Shield of the Americas, while Mexico’s absence remains a significant gap in the broader strategy. For now, the message from Quito and Washington is clear: they intend to keep pressure on CJNG and its networks wherever they operate.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/09/26/u-s-troops-ecuadorian-cops-take-down-cartel-jalisco-network-in-south-america/