Notorious Ecuadorian crime gang designated a terrorist group by US
The US government has designated the Ecuadorian gang 'Los Tiguerones' as a terrorist organization. This move is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to combat narcotics trafficking and regional instability in Latin America.
Why it matters
The designation marks a significant shift in US foreign policy toward Latin American security, signaling a more aggressive stance against transnational criminal organizations.
People walk past a house in Guayaquil, Ecuador, with graffiti reading "Tiger Zone," referring to the Los Tiguerones gang./Getty Images People walk past a house in Guayaquil, Ecuador, with graffiti reading "Tiger Zone," referring to the Los Tiguerones gang./Getty Images Drugs trade Notorious Ecuadorian crime gang designated a terrorist group by US Trump administration to seek extra funding from Congress to ‘dismantle’ Los Tiguerones over narcotics trafficking
Prefer the Guardian on Google The US has designated Ecuador’s Los Tiguerones gang, which stormed a television station during a live broadcast in 2024, as a terrorist organisation as the Trump administration expands its campaign against narcotics traffickers it says are destabilising Latin America.
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