Ecuador's Los Tiguerones gang has been designated a terrorist organisation by the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the announcement in Quito, where he met with Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa.
Mr Rubio stated that Los Tiguerones is linked to narcotics trafficking, as well as attacks on civilians, law enforcement officers, and journalists. He described the group as terrorists who possess weapons and equipment resembling national armies.
The gang's attack on the TC Televisión network in 2024, which featured live footage of men with various weapons, led President Noboa to declare a state of "internal armed conflict."
Mr Rubio indicated that he would seek $45 million in additional funding from Congress to support efforts aimed at "dismantling these terrorist groups." He also noted that elite forces from both countries are working together daily to dismantle these organisations.
The designation is part of the Trump administration's expanded campaign against narcotics traffickers in Latin America, which it states are destabilising the region.