Lead: On Sept. 4, 2025 in Quito, Ecuador, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States will assist partner governments in carrying out violent strikes against transnational criminal groups after a recent U.S. boat strike in the Caribbean that killed 11 people.
Key Takeaways
- A U.S. strike on a boat in the Caribbean reportedly killed 11 people and set the backdrop for Rubio’s remarks.
- The State Department designated Ecuadorian groups Los Lobos and Los Choneros as foreign terrorist organizations.
- Rubio said the U.S. will help partner nations ‘find these people and blow them up,’ signaling support for lethal operations abroad.
- The State Department pledged an additional $13.7 million for anti‑crime efforts and $6 million for drone equipment for Ecuador.
- Officials linked the targeted boat to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal group already designated by the U.S.
- Regional leaders face tensions over sovereignty and the legal basis for cross-border or partnered lethal actions.
Verified Facts
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke at a joint news conference in the presidential palace in Quito with Ecuador’s foreign minister Gabriela Sommerfeld on Sept. 4, 2025. His visit followed meetings in Mexico City with President Claudia Sheinbaum. Ecuador’s president, Daniel Noboa, who was re-elected in April and is 37 years old, discussed deeper security cooperation with U.S. officials.
The State Department announced the designation of two Ecuadorian criminal groups, Los Lobos and Los Choneros, as foreign terrorist organizations. Under U.S. law such listings expand tools for sanctions and financial penalties against named entities and those who support them.
U.S. officials said the boat targeted in the Caribbean was used by Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal group previously designated by the State Department. The United States has reported that 11 people on the vessel were killed in the strike.
Rubio announced additional U.S. assistance to Ecuador: $13.7 million intended to combat drug trafficking and related crimes, including a $6 million allocation for drone equipment. He also said the two governments are negotiating terms for a possible new extradition agreement.
Context & Impact
The comments mark a clear escalation in rhetoric and posture by the Trump administration toward organized crime in Latin America, framing operations as a kind of war against cartels and violent groups. The U.S. has previously listed several Mexican and Venezuelan criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations, and Ecuadorian designations expand that strategy.
Regional leaders face a tradeoff: cooperation with the U.S. on security can bring resources and operational support, but it also raises concerns about sovereignty, legal authority for lethal actions, and the risk of human rights consequences if partner forces act with expanded latitude.
Mexico has publicly drawn a red line against unilateral incursions by U.S. forces; Ecuador, which does not share a land border with the United States, may have more room to pursue bilateral security measures. Investors, officials said, expect lower crime rates to be a precondition for broader economic engagement.
Official Statements
‘Those governments will help us find these people and blow them up. They might do it themselves, and we’ll help them do it.’
Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State
‘They murdered 11 people without due process.’
Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s interior minister
Unconfirmed
- No public legal justification has been provided by the U.S. government to explain the authority for the boat strike that killed 11 people.
- The claim that the boat departed from Venezuela and was directly linked operationally to Tren de Aragua has been reported by U.S. officials but not independently verified in open sources.
- It is not yet clear which partner governments will carry out lethal strikes themselves and which will receive U.S. support.
Bottom Line
The Quito meetings and Rubio’s language signal a U.S. willingness to escalate direct pressure on transnational criminal groups by combining new designations, targeted operations, and bilateral assistance. That approach may accelerate disruption of illicit networks but also risks diplomatic friction, legal challenges, and human rights scrutiny across the region.