NEW YORK — Ecuador has emerged as a key regional ally in President Donald Trump’s expanding crackdown on drug cartels and narcoterrorism, with U.S. and Ecuadorian forces working side by side to intercept narcotics shipments and dismantle transnational criminal networks, the country’s foreign minister told Digital.

Foreign Minister Roberto Kury said the increasingly close cooperation with Washington has delivered «a lot of positive results» in recent months, pointing specifically to drug shipments uncovered through U.S. intelligence and joint work on the ground.

«There is an intelligence and cooperation from the United States, but there is also always the presence of Ecuadorian military or police. They work together,» Kury told Digital in an interview on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly this week.

For Ecuador, the stakes are enormous. Roughly 70% of the world’s cocaine passes through Ecuadorian ports, an FBI official told lawmakers earlier this year, according to the Congressional Research Service, as criminal groups battle for control of trafficking routes carrying cocaine produced in neighboring Colombia and Peru to markets abroad.

Meanwhile, Kury noted: «Most of the drugs go to the United States. So that’s why the United States shares the problem.»

US MILITARY BOARDS, SEARCHES AND SINKS VESSEL ALLEGEDLY SUPPORTING LOS CHONEROS NARCO-TERRORISTS

For the U.S., Ecuador has become a proving ground for an early priority laid out in Trump’s foreign policy: using American military power against threats closer to home as Washington turns its attention back toward the Western Hemisphere.

The explosion in the drug trade has transformed the small South American country. Once considered one of Latin America’s safer countries, Ecuador is now at the frontline of the region’s cartel fight, fueling a surge in violence that prompted President Daniel Noboa to declare an «internal armed conflict» against criminal groups and deploy the military against them.

«We have found many drugs and shipments through this cooperation, so it’s very positive for Ecuador,» Kury said of the partnership with the U.S.

Asked whether U.S. forces were participating directly in operations against cartels rather than limiting their role to intelligence and training, Kury was unequivocal about the joint nature of the effort, noting, «They work together with our local authorities.»

But Kury stopped short of giving Washington carte blanche to use military force inside Ecuador when asked whether his government would permit the U.S. to strike a cartel target on Ecuadorian soil.

WHITE HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS ‘STEEPEST’ EVER DECLINE IN US CASUALTIES FROM CARTELS AMID BOAT STRIKES

«Ecuador has our sovereignty, and they respect that sovereignty,» Kury said, adding that Quito welcomes U.S. involvement «as long as we work together, aligned with our local military and our local police.»

Kury’s comments come as Ecuador has emerged as a testing ground for the Trump administration’s effort to take the fight against Latin American drug cartels beyond maritime interdictions and into partnered military operations on land.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has praised Ecuador as the U.S.’s most «aggressive» partner in its Western Hemisphere crackdown.

He told reporters during a recent trip to Quito that U.S. and Ecuadorian «elite forces» from both countries «are working jointly on a day-to-day basis in a way that has no precedent in order to try to dismantle these terrorist organizations.»

The expanding partnership comes as Ecuador battles a cocaine trade that President Noboa has estimated at roughly $30 billion a year. The country is looking to Washington for additional help taking on the criminal organizations behind the explosion.

Noboa said this week that his government asks the U.S. for help «every day» as Ecuador seeks to choke off a drug trade that has fueled years of violence and transformed the once relatively peaceful South American nation into a key front in the regional fight against organized crime.

Kury said Ecuador and other countries in the region need more than funding from Washington as criminal groups increasingly operate across national borders.

«Our countries in Latin America have the problem that we need support,» Kury said. «We need not only monetary support but also intelligence, technical cooperation.»

«That’s why we have the Shield of the Americas,» he added, pointing to the U.S.-led regional initiative against cartels. «I think that the whole Latin American continent should work together.»

The growing relationship extends beyond the cartel fight: Ecuador has also agreed to accept some third-country nationals deported from the U.S., part of the Trump administration’s effort to enlist regional partners in carrying out its immigration agenda.

Kury told Digital there are limits and «explicit rules» governing the arrangement, describing Ecuador as a temporary stop rather than the final destination for those sent there.

«The deported people come to Ecuador for a few hours, one day, two days, and they are then deported back to their country of origin,» Kury said. «So it’s the way to cooperate, and that’s how we support each other, each country.»

Kury emphasized that Quito wants the expanding relationship with Washington to translate into greater U.S. investment and trade in Ecuador.

«The United States is the main trade partner of Ecuador,» he said, pointing to opportunities for American investment in mining, oil and gas, energy, tourism and agriculture. «We look not only [for] cooperation in the security side, but we also look to build more jobs in our country, to bring investment from the United States.»

The U.S. is Ecuador’s largest trading partner, with U.S. exports to the country totaling $7.7 billion in 2024 and accounting for 28% of Ecuador’s imports, according to the Commerce Department. Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar as its currency but does not have a free trade agreement with Washington.

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UNITED NATIONS – Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša accused the United Nations of applying double standards to global conflicts, arguing that the international community’s focus on Gaza has overshadowed Russia’s war in Ukraine and other humanitarian crises, while revealing that President Donald Trump has promised to visit Slovenia, the homeland of first lady Melania Trump.

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Speaking exclusively to Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Janša said the international body must give greater attention to conflicts beyond the Middle East rather than concentrating its diplomatic efforts on a single crisis.

«We have to get rid of double standards,» Janša said, calling for the U.N. to apply its available diplomatic and security tools equally instead of putting its attention, money and energy into one conflict while neglecting others.

MIDDLE EAST TAKES CENTER STAGE AT UN AS REGIONAL LEADERS CONFRONT IRAN WAR, GAZA AND HOUTHI THREAT

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Right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) leader Janez Janša addresses the media after his investiture vote as Slovenia’s Prime Minister at the National Assembly in Ljubljana on May 22, 2026. (Jure Makovec / AFP via Getty Images)

The Slovenian leader said he was struck by how extensively Gaza dominated speeches during the opening of the General Assembly, while Ukraine, a war much closer to his country’s borders, received comparatively less attention.

For Slovenia and other European countries, he said, Russia’s invasion represents an immediate security threat, with no clear indication that Moscow is prepared to negotiate an end to the fighting.

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Janša argued that the U.N. was established to prevent such conflicts and should not allow its attention to be consumed by one region.

He also pointed to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and other humanitarian crises, arguing that the international body must recognize that different countries face different security and humanitarian challenges.

TRUMP TO ZERO-IN ON IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT, GAZA PLAN AND UN OVERHAUL IN WORLD STAGE SPEECH

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An office building burns following a Russian drone attack in central Odesa, Ukraine, on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Michael Shtekel/AP)

Janša said he intends to raise the issue during his own address to the General Assembly, scheduled for Thursday.

His criticism comes as Slovenia undergoes a significant shift in its foreign policy, particularly toward Israel.

Under the previous government of Prime Minister Robert Golob, Slovenia recognized Palestinian statehood in June 2024 and imposed an arms embargo on Israel in July 2025. The government defended those measures as necessary to protect Palestinian civilians and uphold international law.

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Since returning to power, Janša has sought to strengthen Slovenia’s relationship with Israel, marking a shift from the previous government’s more critical approach toward the Jewish state.

Earlier this month, Israel opened its first resident embassy in Slovenia, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar visited the country for talks aimed at expanding political and economic cooperation. The two governments also signed a cooperation program covering education, science, culture, youth and sports through 2030.

Janša described his government’s approach as a return to the traditionally good relations between the two countries rather than a dramatic diplomatic realignment.

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US-BACKED ISRAEL-MOROCCO DEAL DEEPENS ABRAHAM ACCORDS AMID GROWING REGIONAL THREATS

President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands as they meet on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City in this handout released September 22, 2026. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)

He also criticized European governments that, in his view, have failed to recognize the broader strategic connections between Iran, Russia and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Janša said he has supported the Iranian opposition for decades and argued that lasting peace in the Middle East would remain elusive without political change in Tehran.

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He accused some European governments of applying inconsistent standards by supporting Ukraine while taking positions toward Iran that he believes fail to account for Tehran’s relationship with Moscow, citing Ireland and Spain as well as Slovenia under the previous government before this year’s change in leadership.

Janša also suggested that some European leaders have used the Palestinian issue to divert public attention from domestic economic and political problems, particularly ahead of elections.

The prime minister’s visit to New York also provided an opportunity to strengthen Slovenia’s relationship with Washington, a relationship that carries a personal dimension because of the country’s most prominent American connection: First Lady Melania Trump.

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Born in Slovenia in 1970, Melania Trump grew up in the town of Sevnica before moving to the United States and becoming the nation’s second foreign-born first lady.

The prime minister praised Melania Trump’s work on initiatives for children, describing her role in the White House as a source of pride for many Slovenians. He said his wife met the first lady for the first time on Tuesday and that he also spoke briefly with President Trump.

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) on September 23, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

According to Janša, he invited Trump to visit Slovenia and received a positive response. «He promised he’ll come,» Janša told Fox News Digital.

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Fox News Digital’s Tyler Speicher contributed to this report.

Efrat (Effie) Lachter is a reporter for Fox News Digital with more than 15 years of experience covering conflict, global affairs, human rights and political accountability. She has directed and produced more than 200 documentary segments across more than 40 countries, documenting conflicts, humanitarian crises, corruption, human trafficking, gender-based violence and the human stories behind major world events. 

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Lachter’s reporting has taken her into conflict zones and crisis areas across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa. Her work has included uncovering human trafficking networks, revealing an ISIS underground torture prison in Syria, documenting the war in Ukraine and interviewing senior political figures and world leaders. She was also among the Western journalists who entered Russia after the war began to bring testimonies from Putin’s opposition. Lachter is the recipient of the 2022 Peres Center for Peace Award and was a 2023–2024 Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan. She also won two Rockower Awards for Excellence in Reporting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s degree in political science.

united nations, world, general assembly, foreign affairs, melania trump

Las historias de reclutamiento de ciudadanos latinoamericanos para combatir en las filas del ejército ruso en el marco de la invasión a Ucrania siguen saliendo a la luz, pero con matices cada vez más perturbadores.

Por primera vez, Infobae tuvo acceso exclusivo al testimonio de la esposa del primer ciudadano guatemalteco documentado en las filas de las fuerzas de Moscú, un caso que retrata no solo el entramado de engaños económicos y la falta de respuesta diplomática, sino también graves e inusuales revelaciones sobre el equipamiento que llevan los extranjeros al frente de batalla.

Sarah Illescas, esposa de Carlos Alfredo González, accedió a hablar en exclusiva con Infobae y compartió una revelación inédita sobre el equipo de combate que su esposo aseguraba llevar consigo en el frente: la presencia de una supuesta jeringa autoinyectable destinada a ser utilizada en caso de captura por parte de las fuerzas ucranianas.

“Ellos, aparte de todo lo que cargan, cargan bombas, granadas, de todo, pero andan una inyección… Si alguien del otro lado los agarra, en este caso Ucrania, ellos se tienen que inyectar eso para morirse. Es una inyección letal”, afirmó Illescas a este medio.

Esta declaración constituye la primera vez que un familiar de un reclutado latinoamericano expone públicamente la existencia de este tipo de dispositivo en el equipo de los combatientes.

Infobae ha realizado las indagaciones correspondientes con otras familias de reclutados en la región; hasta la fecha, dichos contactos no han confirmado de forma directa el uso deliberado de sustancias suicidas, aunque han reiterado que los combatientes sufren constantes amenazas y represalias si intentan denunciar o exponer sus condiciones de servidumbre militar.

Contextualizando la denuncia, el uso de ampollas o jeringas en el kit médico ruso cuenta con antecedentes históricos en la doctrina militar de Moscú. Durante las Guerras de Chechenia, el botiquín militar obligatorio de los soldados (modelos AI-1 y AI-2) incluía la jeringa autoinyectable (shprits-tyubik) de Promedol, un potente analgésico opioide sintético.

Si bien su propósito oficial era anestesiar a los heridos graves para evitar el shock traumático, sobredosis de este tipo de analgésicos narcóticos o su mal uso en situaciones críticas pueden resultar letales o causar parálisis respiratoria.

El posible uso de sustancias químicas en el conflicto no se limita a analgésicos de emergencia. Según un informe del Estado Mayor de las Fuerzas Armadas de Ucrania difundido por la agencia EFE en 2024, el mando militar ruso ha recurrido al suministro sistemático de hasta siete sustancias narcóticas y psicotrópicas a tropas de élite, como el 108 Regimiento de Asalto Aerotransportado.

Estas drogas, diseñadas para inducir euforia y anular la percepción del dolor, buscan reducir la inhibición y el temor a sufrir heridas o la muerte, facilitando la ejecución de ataques prácticamente suicidas en frentes críticos como Márinka y Avdiivka (Donetsk).

Illescas, detalló sobre el calvario que vive desde que su pareja tomó la decisión impulsiva de partir hacia Europa del Este, un viaje marcado por itinerarios irregulares, promesas de salarios exorbitantes y la posterior pérdida total de comunicación en las zonas de combate.

Carlos, guatemalteco nacido el 21 de octubre de 1990 y mecánico de profesión, abandonó Centroamérica a mediados de junio con la promesa de acceder a estabilidad financiera para su familia. Según relata su esposa, la salida debió coordinarse a través de un país vecino por impedimentos migratorios en su nación de origen.

“Nosotros lo fuimos a dejar a la frontera de El Salvador porque él tiene raíz aquí en Guatemala. Entonces, no puede salir por el lado de Guatemala legal… El 15 de junio salió en un vuelo de El Salvador para Panamá, luego hace escala en Panamá para Estambul y de Estambul hace vuelo para Moscú”, relató Illescas a Infobae.

El anzuelo principal para atraer a González al conflicto no dista de los patrones detectados en otros países de la región: sumas cuantiosas de dinero, bonos de incorporación y promesas de regularización migratoria que rara vez se concretan.

“A él le mandaron que iba a ganar un bono de 23,000 hasta 50,000 dólares. Iba a ganar un salario mensual de 210,000 a 280,000 rublos, que equivale a entre 2,300 y 2,800 dólares al mes. Iba a tener estatus legal, beneficios migratorios y le iban a dar la ciudadanía a él y a su familia”, explicó Illescas tras revisar las capturas de pantalla de la oferta.

Sin embargo, detrás del lucrativo contrato de un año se escondía una realidad distinta. Aunque a la esposa se le informó que González habría acumulado importantes sumas en cuentas bancarias rusas, la imposibilidad de realizar transferencias internacionales impidió que la familia recibiera un solo centavo en Guatemala.

“Me dijo que ya le habían pagado dos salarios… pero por tanta restricción yo nunca recibí ni un centavo… Me decía: ‘Tengo no sé cuántos millones aquí en la cuenta y son como 200,000 quetzales’. Pero yo le decía: ‘¿De qué sirve si no me puedes mandar ni un centavo?’”, enfatizó.

Entrenamiento, “caminatas de la muerte” y la pérdida del pasaporte

A su llegada a Moscú el 17 de junio, González fue sometido a exámenes médicos y alojado temporalmente en hoteles antes de ser trasladado a campos de entrenamiento y, posteriormente, a zonas de operaciones en territorio ucraniano ocupado. A partir de ese momento, la libertad de movimiento desapareció por completo.

“Al principio me dijo que iba de mecánico a arreglar cosas… Después me dijo que iba a recoger armamento que dejaban tirado las personas que fallecían. Pero estando allá, cuando pasaron los tres meses que supuestamente duraba su viaje, le dije que se escapara. Me dijo: ‘Es que yo ya no tengo mis papeles, ya no tengo mi pasaporte… Yo ya no estoy en Rusia, estoy del otro lado’”, denunció Illescas.

El testimonio detalla condiciones extremas en los frentes de combate donde operan hombres de diversas nacionalidades, entre ellos ciudadanos colombianos, venezolanos, ecuatorianos y africanos. Según Illescas, las raciones de alimento eran acaparadas por las tropas rusas de origen, dejando a los reclutados extranjeros en situaciones de vulnerabilidad.

Última comunicación y paradero incierto en el frente

La última comunicación de Illescas con Carlos tuvo lugar el 8 de septiembre de 2026, cuando él le informó que preparaba su equipo para salir a una nueva misión en una zona boscosa. Desde entonces, el paradero del ciudadano guatemalteco es incierto.

Frente a la desesperación, la cónyuge intentó obtener apoyo institucional en Guatemala, enfrentándose a barreras diplomáticas y respuestas evasivas por parte de las representaciones oficiales.

“Llamé a la Embajada de Rusia aquí en Guatemala… Le dije: ‘Mi esposo se fue tal fecha y dejé de comunicarme con él. Quiero saber de él’. Y me dicen ahí: ‘No, nosotros no te podemos apoyar, nosotros no tenemos relación con el Ministerio de la Defensa’… Me dieron el correo del ejército en Rusia para que escribiera en inglés, pero no he tenido respuesta”, lamentó.

La historia de Carlos Alfredo González pone de manifiesto la vulnerabilidad de los ciudadanos latinoamericanos atraídos por la maquinaria de guerra rusa en Europa del Este, un fenómeno que ya afecta en Centroamérica.