Ecuadorian authorities arrested a Syrian man identified as a terrorist threat by the U.S. due to his association with Iran-backed Hezbollah group on Wednesday. The arrest was part of President Daniel Noboa’s crackdown on drug trafficking gangs, backed by Washington.
Interior Minister John Reimberg stated that deportation proceedings have been initiated against M.K., who entered Ecuador without proper documentation in 2005 and had previously been arrested for leading a drug trafficking network associated with Hezbollah. He was granted provisional release in 2012.
Reimberg emphasized the government’s stance on not allowing international terrorist groups to operate within its borders, aligning with U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies. The arrest comes as part of broader operations against drug traffickers supported by the U.S., which also includes joint strikes inside Ecuador and plans for an FBI office in the country to investigate organized crime, money laundering, and corruption.
Noboa has been targeting cocaine traffickers for two years, yet rates of associated crimes such as murders, disappearances, and extortion have not decreased.