Rubio adds Ecuadorian gang Los Tiguerones to US terrorist list
Ecuador's security profile sharpened again on Wednesday as Washington extended its campaign of formal terrorist designations against Andean criminal networks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Quito during a…
Key takeaways
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated the Ecuadorian gang Los Tiguerones as a foreign terrorist organization and specially designated global terrorist, announcing it from Quito on Wednesday.
- Los Tiguerones is the fourth Ecuador-based group designated under this framework in recent months, following three others named in July, including Los Lobos and Los Choneros.
- The designation cites the group's role in supporting Mexican cartels' drug exports and its attacks on civilians, law enforcement, and journalists.
- The announcement came during Rubio's three-nation tour that also includes Peru and Colombia, aimed at strengthening economic and security ties.
- The terrorist label raises legal exposure for any third party doing business with the group and complicates cross-border fund movement.
Ecuador's security profile sharpened again on Wednesday as Washington extended its campaign of formal terrorist designations against Andean criminal networks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Quito during a three-nation tour, named Los Tiguerones a foreign terrorist organization and specially designated global terrorist, citing the group's role in supporting Mexican cartel drug exports and its attacks on civilians and law enforcement.
Los Tiguerones is the latest in a series. In July, the State Department designated three other Ecuador-based groups under the same framework, among them Los Lobos and Los Choneros. Rubio said the campaign would continue: "They're not ordinary. These are violent, bloodthirsty terrorist organizations. And we have to make sure that we continue to pursue them."
According to Rubio, Los Tiguerones has been helping Mexican cartels move and export illicit drugs, with proceeds used to fund terrorism and criminal activity including attacks on journalists. The group was also responsible for a live takeover of an Ecuadorian television station in 2024. Rubio described it as "yet another Ecuadorian gang" operating in service of the cartel network.
The formal terrorist label carries different consequences than a criminal designation. Treating narco-affiliated gangs as terrorist organizations raises the legal exposure for any third party found doing business with the designated groups and complicates cross-border fund movement. The pattern of multiple Ecuadorian designations in quick succession points to a coordinated policy push rather than isolated action.
Rubio's three-nation itinerary
The Quito announcement came during a trip that also takes Rubio to Peru and Colombia. The State Department framed the tour as aimed at strengthening economic and security ties with all three nations. Pairing the visit with a new designation signals that Washington intends to use legal instruments as part of its regional engagement, alongside the economic discussions.
Los Tiguerones is now the fourth Ecuadorian group designated under this framework in recent months, following three others named in July, among them Los Lobos and Los Choneros.
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