President Trump is taking the fight directly to the drug cartels by launching aggressive military operations in Ecuador with the full cooperation of the country’s right-wing president and military.

Recent developments include joint US-Ecuador operations under “Operation Total Extermination,” with strikes on narco-terrorist targets along the Colombia-Ecuador border using special forces support, helicopters, boats, and drones.

🚨 BREAKING: President Trump is now going ALL-OUT on the cartels in Ecuador after their new right-wing President Daniel Noboa gave the US Pentagon a greenlight

THAT'S how you do it. Mexico should do the same, President Sheinbaum should STOP catering to the cartels! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KLZ3je4tzN

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 30, 2026

https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2038614712254960013

Democrats have criticized Trump’s Venezuela action, totally ignoring the fact that for years the likes of Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden advocated for the exact same policy of using a strike force to crush the cartels:

https://modernity.news/2025/12/04/watch-biden-called-for-strike-force-to-crush-drug-cartels-in-1989/embed/#?secret=INLjD6aAvO

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has invited US assistance, including intelligence and kinetic actions, as part of a broader 17-country alliance Trump launched at the Shield of the Americas summit.

Former Green Berets have pointed out that Trump could unleash elite units like Delta Force.

While border czar Tom Homan has repeatedly emphasized that US special operations forces will wipe out the cartels.

The contrast with Mexico remains glaring. President Claudia Sheinbaum has resisted deeper US involvement, drawing criticism for appearing to prioritize other concerns over dismantling the networks.

Trump’s approach extends across the region. Venezuelan exiles hailed the raid that removed Nicholas Maduro as essential, with no alternative but to smash the cartel-linked regime.

Trump also suggested a military operation against Colombia’s President Petro could make sense in the context of dealing with a cocaine-linked leader.

Link:
https://miamiindependent.com/international/2026/04/02/is-trump-about-to-crush-the-cartels-in-ecuador/