Key facts
- The U.S. State Department designated the Ecuadorean gang Chone Killers as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
- The gang was also designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
- The group is accused of committing numerous attacks targeting civilians, law enforcement officers, and government officials.
- The designation includes sanctions against the group.
- The U.S. stated its commitment to partnering with Ecuador to disrupt narcoterrorist revenue streams.
The U.S. State Department has designated the Ecuadorean gang Chone Killers as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. The designation, announced on Wednesday, includes sanctions against the group, which the State Department accuses of committing numerous attacks targeting civilians, law enforcement officers, and government officials, including high-profile assassinations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Trump Administration, in partnership with Ecuador and President Daniel Noboa, will continue to protect the hemisphere by keeping illicit drugs off the streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding violent narcoterrorists. The designation is part of a broader effort by the U.S. under President Donald Trump's second term to crack down on gangs by designating several as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and conducting strikes against suspected drug trafficking boats.