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Rubio defends US air strikes on drug-trafficking boats in Ecuador
Rubio argued the US is finding regional partners willing to be more aggressive against criminal groups, amid rights group concerns about evidence and effectiveness.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended controversial US strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats during a visit to Ecuador, saying Latin American cartels would otherwise “eat these countries alive.”
According to a report by SCMP Economy, Rubio framed the campaign as part of a wider push to work with partners in the region, describing a “new generation” of conservative leaders allied with President Donald Trump.
Since Trump returned to power, the US has embraced air strikes against vessels operating on known trafficking routes in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, the report said.
Rights groups, fishermen and their relatives have challenged the campaign, alleging ships were targeted without sufficient evidence of trafficking links, while experts also questioned whether the strikes curb cocaine and other drugs flowing to the United States, which is described as the world’s largest consumer.