The U.S. Department of State designated the Ecuador-based gang Los Tiguerones as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on Wednesday.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the announcement in Quito while meeting with Ecuadorian officials. The gang has ties to narcotrafficking and has carried out attacks on civilians, law enforcement officers, and journalists. Those actions include the armed takeover of an Ecuadorian television station during a live broadcast in 2024.

The designation blocks any property or interests in property of the group or its members that are in the United States or under the control of U.S. persons. It also generally prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with the designated entity.

Los Tiguerones joins other Ecuadorian gangs previously labeled as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration. Those include Los Choneros and Los Lobos, designated in 2025, and Chone Killers, designated in July 2026. Rubio stated that the groups help Mexican cartels transport and export illicit drugs, which fund terrorism and criminal activity.

The action aligns with broader Trump administration efforts to dismantle cartels and narco-terrorist networks in the region. Rubio noted that the designations expose and isolate these entities, denying them access to the U.S. financial system.

Ecuador has faced rising violence linked to drug trafficking routes since the early 2020s. The country sits between major cocaine producers Colombia and Peru. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has pursued an aggressive campaign against the gangs, declaring an internal armed conflict following high-profile incidents.

The State Department said today's designation further demonstrates the administration's commitment to keeping illicit drugs off American streets and disrupting revenue streams for violent networks. FTO designations take effect upon publication in the Federal Register.