Ecuador grants US military green light for operations
2 Min Read
Ecuador's Foreign Minister, Gustavo Manrique Miranda, has announced that the United States will be granted permission to conduct limited military operations within Ecuador's territory and waters.
-
Gustavo Manrique Miranda, Ecuador’s foreign affairs minister, signed the Artemis Accords on June 21, 2023. (NASA)
Ecuador's Foreign Minister Gustavo Manrique Miranda announced that the United States would receive permission to conduct military operations within Ecuador's land and maritime regions to address issues such as illegal fishing, human and drug trafficking, and fuel smuggling.
Speaking at a press conference in Quito, the minister discussed the accords established by President Guillermo Lasso during his recent trip to the United States.
"It is not that the [the US] will be deploying their troops, but that they will go in for short periods of time, carry out operations, and leave ... The Ecuadorian authorities will also be deployed on foreign ships so that the sovereignty is not lost and make sure that it is our authorities who make key decisions regarding operations," he said.
Furthermore, the minister stated that another agreement signed establishes the legal framework for the transit of US officials and military personnel across Ecuador's territory.
It is worth noting that Ecuadorian and US authorities have previously stated that the agreements signed during President Lasso's visit are intended to enhance collaboration in combating illegal fishing and drug trafficking.
The President of Ecuador previously mentioned that these operations would target vessels of suspicion or those without a clear state affiliation.
Read next: Violence in Ecuador stemming from 'subservience to the US': Activist
