Rubio Defends US Boat Strikes, Warns Drug Cartels Could 'Eat These Countries Alive'

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Ecuador, where he supported military actions against boats suspected of drug trafficking. He cautioned that Latin American cartels would "eat these countries alive" if not addressed. Rubio commended a new wave of conservative leaders in the region who are aligned with President Donald Trump, noting that Washington has identified partners ready to take a "very aggressive" stance against criminal organizations. Since Trump's return to office, the US has carried out air strikes on vessels along established trafficking routes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in over 200 fatalities, according to Pentagon data. Rights advocates and fishermen, along with their families, have criticized the operations for targeting boats without adequate evidence of trafficking. Experts have also raised doubts about the effectiveness of these strikes in reducing the influx of cocaine and other drugs into the US, the largest consumer globally. Rubio assured that military efforts against suspected traffickers in Latin American waters would persist.