Gen. Donovan Visits Ecuador

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Commander of U.S. Southern Command, completed his third official visit to Ecuador today, which included high-level dialogue meetings with Ecuadorian Minister of Defense Gian Carlo Loffredo Rendon and Ecuadorian Chief of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, Gen. Henry Santiago Delgado Salvador. The leaders discussed the ongoing progress of the bilateral defense partnership objectives, including joint efforts to counter narcoterrorism in the Western Hemisphere in support of the America's Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C).

The U.S. and Ecuador share a deep commitment to regional security and stability, and a steadfast resolve to dismantle dangerous transnational criminal drug cartels, reduce illegal migration and limit foreign geopolitical interference in the Western Hemisphere.

To advance these shared objectives and build on the joint security declaration signed at the Americas Counter Cartel Conference in March, U.S. Southern Command established Joint Task Force - Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) on August 4th as its action arm in the region. JTF-WHEM is working with A3C partners, like Ecuador, to defend sovereignty, strengthen regional security, and ensure the Western Hemisphere remains secure, stable, and prosperous.

The enduring defense partnership between the U.S. and Ecuador supports mutual goals and contributes in significant ways to regional and hemispheric security.