The Trump administration has designated the Ecuador-based gang Los Tiguerones as a foreign terrorist organization, marking the 21st group to receive this designation in Latin America and the Caribbean. The State Department announced the action Wednesday, labeling the gang as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
Los Tiguerones has been linked to extensive narcotrafficking, illicit activities, and a series of violent attacks targeting civilians, law enforcement, and journalists. The designation follows a recent incident in 2024 where the gang carried out a live television station takeover in Ecuador. The U.S. aims to disrupt the financial streams funding such organizations and protect national security by removing illicit drugs from American streets.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that this designation demonstrates the administration's commitment to dismantling cartels and narcoterrorist networks in the region. "Today’s action taken by the State Department further demonstrates that the Trump administration continues to deliver on its promises to the American people to dismantle cartels and narcoterrorist networks in our region, ensuring the safety of the American people," Rubio said in a statement.
The designation strategy, initiated in February 2025, has been applied to groups previously considered purely financially motivated criminal organizations rather than those with explicit political ambitions. This shift allows for increased pressure on these crime rings and their associates. The strategy has reportedly been used in operations such as the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and in actions against boats involved in narcotics trafficking. This approach has also prompted similar actions by countries like Guatemala and Argentina, and led Ecuador to conduct joint operations domestically.
Rubio emphasized that terrorist designations serve to expose and isolate targeted entities, restricting their access to the U.S. financial system and hindering their ability to fund operations. These designations can also bolster law enforcement efforts by other U.S. agencies and allied governments.
Mexico currently has the largest number of groups on the U.S. foreign terrorist organization list, with eight. The U.S. has been exerting pressure on the Mexican government to curb cartel activity. However, the Trump administration's approach has also faced scrutiny due to actions such as pardoning former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted of drug trafficking charges.
The announcement was made during Rubio's diplomatic tour of South America, which included stops in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, focusing on U.S. initiatives to combat drug trafficking in the region.
