US Secretary of State Visits Quito, Announces Security Aid and Terrorist Designations

Quito, September 4, 2025 - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Ecuador today for talks with President Daniel Noboa and senior cabinet ministers, unveiling nearly $20 million in new security assistance and formally designating two of the country’s most violent gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.

In a joint press conference at the Palacio de Carondelet, Rubio announced that the United States will provide $13.5 million for enhanced security measures and an additional $6 million in unmanned aerial vehicles for the Ecuadorian Navy to bolster efforts against drug-trafficking networks and organized crime. He emphasized that this package marks “the beginning of our collaborative efforts” to confront transnational crime.

Rubio and Noboa also declared that Los Lobos and Los Choneros will be added to the U.S. State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations, enabling Washington to freeze assets, impose sanctions on associates, and share intelligence for “potentially lethal operations” against these groups. “We are helping Ecuador to wage war against these vicious animals, these terrorists,” Rubio said.

President Noboa, who has deployed military forces to patrol urban areas amid a sharp rise in homicide rates, welcomed the designations and indicated he would seek a referendum to allow the establishment of a permanent U.S. military base-a prospect that would require voter approval under Ecuador’s constitution.

Both sides signaled optimism about reaching a bilateral trade agreement soon, with Rubio suggesting a deal could materialize within weeks and Noboa affirming Ecuador’s readiness to deepen economic ties with the United States.

The visit underscores Ecuador’s strategic importance in Washington’s regional security agenda and highlights growing cooperation to stem the flow of narcotics through the Andean region.