Ecuadorean gang leader Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, known as "Fito," appears in U.S. federal court on international charges of drug and weapons trafficking in New York, U.S., July 21, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg/File Photo

By Daphne Psaledakis and Alexandra Valencia

QUITO (Reuters) -The United States announced new security commitments for Ecuador during Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to the Andean country on Thursday, as Washington seeks to expand its crackdown on illegal immigration and drug cartels.

The commitments include over $13 million in general security funding for Ecuador, plus $6 million for drones for the Ecuadorean Navy, Rubio said.

"This is the beginning of what we can do together," Rubio said, saying the U.S. would consider a military base in Ecuador if invited by that country.

Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa supports such a base but needs voter approval in a referendum. The U.S. previously had a base in the coastal city of Manta, but left in 2009 on orders from Ecuador's then-president.

The United States also designated two Ecuadorean criminal groups, Los Choneros and Los Lobos, as foreign terrorist organizations, Rubio said.

Los Choneros' alleged leader, Jose Adolfo "Fito" Macias Villamar, has been indicted on federal drug and gun chargesin the United States, where he is currently being held. He has pleaded not guilty.

Both gangs were sanctioned by the United States in 2024.

Rubio said the designation of the gangs will allow the U.S. to go after their assets and facilitate intelligence sharing with Ecuador.

"They're terrorists. We can help (Ecuador) fight these terrorist groups," Rubio said.

Killings in the South American country have increased despite Noboa's efforts to combat gang violence tied to the drug trade. Homicides rose 40% in the first seven months of this year compared to the same period in 2024.

Noboa, elected this year to a full term, has deployed the military on the streets and lawmakers have approved reforms the president says will help curb crime, including harsher penalties for drug trafficking.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle)