Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Ecuador's Los Tiguerones gang as a foreign terrorist organization, marking an expansion of the Trump administration's campaign against transnational criminal groups. The gang gained notoriety for storming a television station during a live broadcast in 2024.
Ecuadoran prosecutors have formally charged former interior minister José Serrano and six other individuals on suspicion of masterminding the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was shot dead at a campaign event in Quito days before the 2023 election.
Colombia responded to Ecuador's tariff hike by imposing a 100% import tax on Ecuadorian goods, escalating a trade dispute amid cross-border tensions over illicit drugs and the fate of politician Jorge Glas.
Ecuador recalled its ambassador from Colombia in the latest sign of diplomatic tension between right-wing President Daniel Noboa and left-wing Colombian President Gustavo Petro over comments regarding former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas.
The U.S. military, working with Ecuadorian forces, has conducted strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels at sea, with newly unclassified Pentagon images showing boats loaded with apparent narcotics. Recent operations have resulted in casualties, including two killed in an August strike that marked the first such attack after a two-month pause.
