The U.S. government formalized the donation of a TPS-43 three-dimensional surveillance radar to the Armed Forces of Ecuador, with the objective of strengthening airspace control and the detection of aircraft linked to illicit activities.
The handover ceremony took place during the visit to the country by Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), who held meetings with the Deputy Minister of National Defense, Roberto Quintero; the Chief of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, Army General Henry Delgado Salvador; and the commanders of the Ecuadorian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The donation agreement for the radar was signed by Admiral Holsey and Air Force General Mauricio Salazar. According to Ecuador’s Ministry of National Defense, the modernized system “will strengthen airspace control and the detection of aircraft and points of interest linked to illicit activities.”
During the meeting, the signing of a Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) was also finalized, signed by Holsey and Delgado. This document establishes a framework for the exchange of sensitive information, the protection of communications, and cooperation in defense matters.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to jointly confront fuel trafficking, considering it a central axis of criminal economies, in line with measures adopted by the Ecuadorian government to cut off the financial flows of illicit organizations.
Holsey’s visit adds to other recent initiatives aimed at strengthening bilateral security cooperation, including the agenda developed in Washington by Ministers Gian Carlo Loffredo and John Reimberg, the visit of U.S. congressional delegations to Ecuador’s Ministry of Defense, and President Daniel Noboa Azin’s meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
These efforts resulted in agreements that include the designation of Los Lobos and Los Choneros groups as terrorist organizations, the allocation of $13.5 million for security projects, and $6 million in resources for naval drones, aimed at reinforcing the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking.
“With firm steps and concrete results, we reaffirm that in Ecuador there are only two paths for narco-terrorists: prison or hell; there is no third option. Ecuador belongs to Ecuadorians, and our destiny is to prevail, hand in hand with allies who share our vision of peace and security for the nation’s families,” stated the Ministry of National Defense in an official communiqué.
The Embassy of Ecuador in the United States emphasized that these agreements “strengthen the defense and response capability of our Armed Forces,” highlighting the strategic nature of bilateral cooperation for regional security.
*Cover image for illustrative purposes.
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