Duval Times

Earlier this year, a group of gang members took over a television station in Ecuador during a live broadcast. Since then, approximately 2,000 more homicides have occurred in the country. President Daniel Noboa has declared two states of emergency since January and was granted additional powers through an electoral referendum in April to deploy military troops against the gangs. However, Noboa does not have to face this challenge alone. The United States and the international community can and should offer their support to Ecuador.

"If the situation in Ecuador deteriorates, everyone in our region will suffer the consequences," said Rubio. "The impact would be felt even in the U.S., because the gangs attacking Ecuador work together with Mexican and Colombian cartels that send both drugs and criminals across our southern border. The more powerful they become, the more damage they can cause to Americans."

Thanks to bipartisan efforts, the U.S. Senate introduced legislation to expand cooperation with Ecuador on mutual interests, including crime fighting. Rubio emphasized three key steps: updating the U.S.-Ecuador extradition treaty, allocating more funds to the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) to assist Ecuador, and urging the U.S. Department of Defense to help rebuild Ecuador's military after years of cuts by leftist administrations.

Rubio also called on the State Department to work with the Organization of American States (OAS) under the authority of the Inter-American Democratic Charter to forge an international and regional response to address Ecuador's situation. "The violence represented by both gangs and narcoterrorism in any country is a threat to democracy and rule of law throughout our region," he stated. "We all have an interest in dismantling criminal networks operating within our hemisphere."

Lastly, Rubio urged stronger action from the Biden Administration against governments that empower Ecuadorian gangs directly or indirectly. This includes ceasing appeasement towards Venezuela's illegitimate narco-regime that shelters terrorist groups now expanding into Ecuador and pressuring Colombian President Gustavo Petro whose failed "Total Peace" plan has empowered terrorists and cocaine traffickers near Ecuador's northern border.

"We have much to lose if Ecuador is divided by murderers and drug traffickers," concluded Rubio. "And we have much to gain if Ecuador remains safe, stable, free from corruption, and drug trafficking." Supporting Ecuador is part of common-sense diplomacy.

Read more here.