The Trump administration under Secretary of State Marco Rubio has designated the Eduadorian Los Tinguerones gang a terrorist organization. Rubio was in the South American nation's capital Quinto this week to meet with President Daniel Noboa.
The designation of Los Tinguerones as both a foreign terrorist organization and a specifically designated global terrorist allows the government to use "legal tools to try to freeze or seize assets linked to the group that are in the US financial and banking systems," reports The New York Times.
In making the announcement, Rubio said "These groups became more powerful than governments in many cases. And if you don't confront these groups, they will eat countries alive." The goal is to take apart these criminal organizations by targeting their financial infrastructure, making it impossible for them to do business.
The Trump administration has previously blown up ships off the coast of Ecuador and worked with the Noboa government to go after drug cartels. This designation, Rubio pointed out, does not preclude the US from still blowing up ships "if need be." Another boat was targeted by the US Southern Command in the Caribbean Sea on Wednesday and there have been 69 strikes so far.
Noboa's government has previously engaged with the Trump administration in joint military operations to go after the criminal cartels that operate within his country. This designation of Los Tinguerones follows earlier designations of the Ecuadorian criminal cartels Los Lobos, Los Choneros, and Chone Killers as terrorist organizations.
Critics say the gang isn't even that powerful anymore because other gangs have moved in, such as Los Lobos. For Rubio and the Trump administration, however, the designation is a step in disrupting the flow of drugs into Mexico where they go on into the United States.
The designation of Los Tinguerones as both a foreign terrorist organization and a specifically designated global terrorist allows the government to use "legal tools to try to freeze or seize assets linked to the group that are in the US financial and banking systems," reports The New York Times.
In making the announcement, Rubio said "These groups became more powerful than governments in many cases. And if you don't confront these groups, they will eat countries alive." The goal is to take apart these criminal organizations by targeting their financial infrastructure, making it impossible for them to do business.
The Trump administration has previously blown up ships off the coast of Ecuador and worked with the Noboa government to go after drug cartels. This designation, Rubio pointed out, does not preclude the US from still blowing up ships "if need be." Another boat was targeted by the US Southern Command in the Caribbean Sea on Wednesday and there have been 69 strikes so far.
"I think its an incredible advance for the first time to have countries that are willing to participate in these efforts in their territorial waters," said Rubio from Quinto. He went on to say "The important point is that these routes are being disrupted. These routes are being ended."
Los Tinguerones is the group that was seen on live television storming into the studio during a broadcast in 2024. Thirteen people were arrested after that armed attack by hooded gang members. While in studio, they unleashed threats and diatribes for 15 minutes and were armed with both guns and explosives.Noboa's government has previously engaged with the Trump administration in joint military operations to go after the criminal cartels that operate within his country. This designation of Los Tinguerones follows earlier designations of the Ecuadorian criminal cartels Los Lobos, Los Choneros, and Chone Killers as terrorist organizations.
Critics say the gang isn't even that powerful anymore because other gangs have moved in, such as Los Lobos. For Rubio and the Trump administration, however, the designation is a step in disrupting the flow of drugs into Mexico where they go on into the United States.
