Ecuador readies a major offensive on criminal groups, with US logistical support

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador is preparing a “major offensive” against criminal organizations set to begin this weekend with logistical support from the United States, the interior minister said Wednesday.

Speaking to a local radio station, Interior Minister John Reimberg also urged citizens to observe a curfew from March 15-30 in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas — three of the most violent in the South American country.

“We do not want collateral victims from the attacks we are about to launch,” Reimberg said, noting that the restriction will be in effect between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Authorities would require that the roads in these provinces remain clear, citing “troop movements” and the deployment of equipment “while everyone remains in their homes,” he said.

“We have significant support from U.S. forces for the operations we are about to carry out,” Reimberg said.

The U.S. Embassy in Ecuador didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from The Associated Press. Neither the U.S. Defense Department nor the U.S. Southern Command immediately commented on the Ecuadorian offensive set for the weekend.

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The announcement came days after Ecuador and the U.S. began joint military operations against organized crime groups in the South American country, although at the time neither government gave details of the location and scope of the operation.

The attacks against violent criminal groups are aimed at “destroying what they have built in various parts of the country,” Reimberg said, although he declined to provide specific details, citing security concerns.

Since early 2021, Ecuador has faced a relentless offensive by organized crime groups which, according to police, maintain close ties with drug trafficking cartels in Colombia and Mexico.

Ecuador is considered a logistical hub for drug trafficking, serving as a staging and distribution point for narcotics entering the country — primarily from Colombia, though shipments also arrive from Peru. According to authorities, these illicit shipments are transported from Ecuadorian seaports to Central America, the United States and Europe, among other destinations. ___

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