Trump administration adds Ecuadorian gang Los Tiguerones to foreign terrorist list

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the State Department placed the Ecuadorian gang Los Tiguerones on the U.S. foreign terrorist organization list and also designated it as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. The group is accused of narcotrafficking and of carrying out violent attacks against civilians, law-enforcement officers and journalists, including a 2024 live takeover of an Ecuadorian TV station. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, traveling through Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, said the action demonstrates the Trump administration’s commitment to cutting drug revenues and disrupting violent narcoterrorist networks.

The move brings the total number of Latin American and Caribbean groups labeled as foreign terrorist organizations to 21. The policy, begun in February 2025, has already prompted similar designations by several regional governments and joint operations by Ecuadorian authorities. Critics note the administration’s broader strategy, which has also been used to justify actions such as the capture of Nicolás Maduro and pressure on Mexican cartels.