Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa has officially designated the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organized crime group, aligning with the United States, which sanctioned the cartel as a terrorist entity in late July 2025. Noboa stated that the cartel poses a threat to Ecuador's national population, constitutional order, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The Ecuadorian government has called for investigations into the cartel's influence and activities within Ecuador, particularly its links to local criminal gangs. This move also includes the possibility of collaboration with other states to combat the cartel. Additionally, reports have emerged of an alliance involving the Cartel de los Soles, the ELN guerrilla group, Hezbollah, and Iran operating along the Colombia-Venezuela border. The designation by Ecuador follows a broader regional concern over the cartel's transnational criminal activities and its political implications.