While visiting Quito, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled a $45 million security deal and a $10 million program for fighting illegal gold mining, gangs and drug trafficking in Ecuador, along with the donation of naval ships to back up President Daniel Noboa’s tough anti-crime campaign. Praising Noboa’s conservative government as an important ally, Rubio declared the Ecuadorian gang “Los Tiguerones” as a foreign terrorist group, underscoring joint US-Ecuadorian efforts against cartel. Yet such an increase in the security cooperation is taking place at a time when increasing questions have been raised concerning human rights abuses, especially US boats’ deadly attacks on the region which, according to critics and family members, amount to extrajudicial executions of innocent fishermen.