US Quietly Shifts MQ-9 Reapers Into South America

South America’s rightward shift has created a more favorable environment for the Trump administration to expand its influence across the Western Hemisphere. A victory by right-wing Flávio Bolsonaro over unhinged socialist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil’s runoff election later this month would cement the shift across the continent. 

The next test is whether those political gains translate into deeper trade and military cooperation. On the military side, those partnerships are expanding in the war against narcoterrorists. 

Joint military activity has already broadened this year, and the reported transfer of US MQ-9 Reaper drones to Colombia and Ecuador suggests preparations for a broader campaign, according to The New York Times. 

EL PENTÁGONO MUEVE SU MAQUINARIA LETAL Llegaron a Colombia y Ecuador los drones de ataque MQ-9 Reaper. Ahora sí, ¿dónde se esconderán los bandidos? https://t.co/vow0hzxpVt

— ð•²ð–šð–˜. 『X』 (@CapGusXMan) October 7, 2026

According to the report, the U.S. military is transferring MQ-9 Reaper drones from Africa, and this was first reported by CNN last month. 

Ecuador’s defense minister, Gian Carlo Loffredo, was quoted by NYTimes earlier today, saying two Reapers are already operating in the country. Colombian officials have previously outlined plans to receive three of these Group 5 drones. 

The outlined plans show how Colombia and Ecuador are partnering with the U.S. military to wage a fight against narcoterrorists that were allowed to thrive under previous left-wing governments: 

Ecuador’s president, Daniel Noboa, was the first regional leader to allow joint military operations in his country this year and has recently faced scrutiny over the presence of U.S. troops at one base. Ecuador’s Constitution bars foreign military bases in the country, a prohibition voters affirmed in a referendum last year.

Colombia’s new right-wing president, Abelardo De La Espriella, has launched an aggressive military effort targeting leaders of several groups said to be involved in cocaine trafficking.

The likely mission for the Reapers will be intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (known in the defense world as ISR). These operations would likely be used to track cartel leaders and support potential strikes on land. 

Reported losses of at least 45 Reapers, or roughly a quarter of the U.S. fleet, in the Iran conflict only suggest the urgent need for low-cost Group 5 drones. 

As we have previously highlighted, DZYNE Technologies’ ULTRA platform, now part of Ondas, could complement or replace the Reaper on selected ISR missions as military orders expand. It could provide persistent surveillance while preserving armed Reapers for critical strike missions.