Marco Rubio says Latin American criminal groups would "eat these countries alive" if unchecked

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a Wednesday trip to Ecuador, supported U.S. military strikes on boats suspected of drug trafficking and contended that Latin American criminal organizations would devastate countries in the region if left unchecked. He pointed to a crop of conservative Latin American leaders aligned with President Donald Trump and said Washington had partners ready to confront such groups forcefully. Since Trump’s return to office, the United States has launched air attacks on vessels traveling known smuggling routes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific; Pentagon figures indicate over 200 people have died. Rights organizations, fishermen and families have challenged the operations, claiming insufficient proof tied targets to trafficking. Experts have also asked whether the strikes reduce cocaine and other drug supplies reaching the United States, described as the largest consumer market.