Why Ecuador Invited the U.S. Military to Help With Its Drug Gangs NYT Par : Luis Ferré-Sadurní · Eric Schmitt and José María León Cabrera 5 mars 2026 à 00:58 Drug gangs have turned the South American country into one of the most dangerous in the region and the world’s leading exporter of cocaine. © Daniele Volpe for The New York TimesThe Ecuadorian Coast Guard patrolling in 2025. The U.S. military is now helping Ecuador plan a series of raids targeting the South American country’s violent drug gangs.