US Extends $20 Million Aid to Ecuador as Deportation Accord Nears Finalization

(QUITO) The United States 🇺🇸 is offering $20 million in security assistance to Ecuador and moving ahead with a deportation agreement that could begin within weeks, senior officials from both governments said after meetings in the capital. The package includes $13.5 million available now for anti-cartel operations and $6 million pending for drone purchases for the Ecuadorian Navy. At the same time, Washington is preparing to label two of Ecuador’s most violent cartels—Los Lobos and Los Choneros—as foreign terrorist organizations.

On September 4, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met President Daniel Noboa in Quito to confirm the aid and preview the designations. Rubio said, “We’re going to do everything possible to help them. You cannot have economic prosperity without stability, and you cannot have stability without security.” Noboa welcomed the support and called for stronger international cooperation to restore order and protect jobs.

Security aid, FTO designations, and expected tools

U.S. officials say the FTO (foreign terrorist organization) label will unlock wider legal and intelligence tools to target cartel leadership and money flows. Authorities expect:

• Tighter asset freezes
• Faster intelligence sharing
• Coordinated action against cross-border networks

According to Ecuador’s Interior Ministry, the aim is to strike cartels where they are strongest—port logistics, cocaine shipments, and contract killings tied to turf wars.

Ecuador’s homicide rate rose from 6 per 100,000 in 2018 to 47 in 2023, before dipping to 39 in 2024. Officials link the surge to Ecuador’s role as a cocaine transit route between Colombia and Peru, where up to 70% of global supply is believed to pass nearby, with an estimated 40% bound for the U.S. market.

Investigators point to several enabling factors:

• Ecuador’s dollarized economy
• Busy Pacific ports
• Strained institutions

These conditions have given cartels from Mexico, Colombia, and the Balkans an opening to embed operations.

The policy shift follows a high-profile case: Ecuador extradited José Adolfo Macías Villamar, leader of Los Choneros, to the U.S. in July 2025 after his recapture. That extradition, paired with the planned FTO designations, signals deeper law enforcement ties—something Ecuador paused in 2009 when a U.S. military and DEA presence ended.

Now, the Noboa government is exploring constitutional reform that could permit a limited U.S. security footprint, focused on anti-drug cooperation rather than combat missions.

Human rights groups warn that expanded powers against cartels could carry risks for civilians if oversight is weak. They also note that the earlier suspension of broader U.S. humanitarian aid and parole pathways in early 2025 reduced support for vulnerable people inside Ecuador just as violence displaced families and strained local shelters.

How the $20 million will be used

Officials in Quito say the $20 million package will fund:

• Technology, training, and joint analysis to catch traffickers earlier
• Operations aimed at interdiction on the water and inside port terminals
• Improved financial tracing to spot shell companies and cash couriers tied to cocaine shipments

The pending drone acquisition (part of the $6 million) would give the Navy better surveillance along smuggling routes, including dark stretches of coast where go-fast boats link to inland warehouse networks.

As for the terrorism designations, placing Los Lobos and Los Choneros on the State Department’s FTO list would enable sanctions and cooperation tools already used against other groups. Official background on FTO listings is available at the U.S. Department of State’s resource page: Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

Deportation agreement — overview and rules

Alongside the security push, the two governments are finalizing a deportation agreement. Ecuador has agreed to accept up to 300 third-country nationals per year from the U.S., subject to strict rules:

• Must have refugee status
• No criminal record
• Be in good health
• Limited to select nationalities
• Pre-approval by Quito required for each case

Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld described implementation as “very, very near,” pledging close coordination with U.S. deportation policies. Ecuador says it will focus on safe transfer, reception, and placement services.

This arrangement differs from El Salvador’s model, which includes detention after arrival. Analysis by VisaVerge.com links these third-country transfers to a broader push by the Trump administration to speed deportations beyond traditional destinations, with deals widened in 2024–2025.

Process for the deportation program

Authorities outline a simple, four-step process:

1. The U.S. identifies people with refugee status, no criminal record, and good health.
2. Ecuador reviews each case and approves up to 300 per year.
3. Agencies coordinate transfer and reception, with placements tracked to meet standards.
4. Both sides continue monitoring to ensure safety and compliance.

Benefits, risks, and local impacts

Supporters in both countries argue the mix of aid, designations, and law enforcement teamwork is the fastest way to:

• Cut murders
• Reopen safe trade lanes
• Reset investor confidence

But critics and local officials highlight limits and risks:

• Limited funds may not shift cartel incentives without stronger courts, prison reform, and robust port controls
• Human rights groups stress risks to civilians if oversight is weak
• The earlier suspension of broader U.S. humanitarian aid may have left vulnerable populations with fewer options
• Local NGOs worry about added pressure on housing, work permits, and social services at a time of tight budgets
• City officials in port areas warn small increases in arrivals can strain services if funding doesn’t match caseloads

For families split between the U.S. and Ecuador, the policies cut both ways. Tougher action on cartels aims to ease daily fear and lift the economy. But the halt in broader U.S. humanitarian support, paired with higher removals, may leave asylum-seekers and mixed-status families with fewer options if protection is denied.

Employers in logistics, fishing, and farming support the security push but caution that workforce gaps and rising insurance costs will persist if violence does not drop quickly.

Timing, next steps, and political context

• Security aid and FTO moves are set to start immediately.
• Drone purchases await final approval.
• Negotiators are still refining who is eligible for transfer under the deportation agreement; pilot operations are expected soon after operational details are set.
• President Noboa plans a referendum to enable constitutional changes for a potential U.S. security presence. Lawmakers are split and public debate is growing.

Local mayors emphasize the need for visible, short-term gains: fewer extortion calls, safer public transit, and cleaner port perimeters within months, not years.

Longer-term outlook

Ecuador’s choice reflects a tough reality. After the FARC demobilization in 2016, criminal groups moved closer to the border and ports became prime real estate for global traffickers. Today’s plan centers on:

• Sharper tools against cartel finance and logistics
• A managed deportation channel with strict screening

Whether these steps break the cycle will depend on:

• Steady funding
• Careful oversight
• Public trust

Both governments say they aim to turn the tide, but success will require sustained commitment across law enforcement, judicial reform, and social services.