On Wednesday, the United States government formally classified the Chone Killers, an Ecuadorian criminal organization, as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group. U.S. officials report that the gang is responsible for numerous violent acts against civilians, police, and government representatives, specifically citing several major assassinations.
According to the U.S. State Department, the group emerged in 2020 after breaking away from Los Choneros, which is also under U.S. sanctions. Washington emphasized that it remains dedicated to working with President Daniel Noboa and the Ecuadorian government to intercept drug shipments and eliminate the financial foundations of these trafficking networks. This move reflects the Trump Administration’s broader strategy to neutralize regional cartels and enhance domestic security.
This announcement follows recent U.S. sanctions against nine entities and two Mexican nationals accused of fuel theft connected to the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación. The Treasury noted that this cartel, which was headed by the late Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, undermines legitimate commercial markets through its illicit exploitation of the Mexican petroleum industry.
