US Pledges $45 Million in Security Aid to Ecuador as Rubio Meets President Daniel Noboa

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa at the Carondelet Palace in Quito, announcing a $45 million security assistance package to boost Ecuador's fight against transnational organized crime and drug cartels.

The bilateral meeting represented the second stop of Rubio’s high-profile diplomatic tour of South America, following initial discussions in Colombia. During the summit, Rubio lauded Noboa’s administration as Washington's "most committed and aggressive partner" in countering illicit trafficking syndicates across the Pacific corridor.

"The security of our hemisphere is interconnected," Rubio told reporters following the bilateral discussions. "When criminal cartels terrorize Ecuadorian communities and overwhelm port cities, the consequences ripple directly across the United States. We stand firmly behind Ecuador's sovereign efforts to restore order."

New Vessels and Specialized Crime Initiatives

In addition to the $45 million funding request submitted to the U.S. Congress, the United States finalized the transfer of a Coast Guard cutter and five rapid-response interceptor vessels to bolster Ecuador’s naval interdiction capabilities along coastal waters and the Galapagos archipelago.

Washington also unveiled a separate $10 million initiative targeting illicit gold mining networks, gang recruitment in vulnerable urban districts, and money laundering schemes tied to international narcotics shipments.

As part of the joint enforcement actions, the U.S. State Department announced the formal designation of the Ecuador-based gang "Los Tiguerones" as a foreign terrorist organization, freezing their foreign financial assets and barring U.S. persons from transactions with the group.

National Honor Conferred on Secretary Rubio

During the official reception in Quito, President Noboa bestowed upon Secretary Rubio the National Order of Merit in the degree of Grand Cross, acknowledging his role in advancing bilateral security cooperation and regional democratic governance.

President Noboa emphasized that the expanded alliance with Washington arrives at a critical juncture as Ecuadorian security forces maintain nationwide operations against organized crime groups that have driven homicide rates higher over recent years.

Following the conclusion of talks in Quito, Rubio heads to Lima, Peru, for the final leg of the tour, focusing on regional trade diversification, critical mineral protection, and defense coordination.