Rubio: U.S. Adding Two Gangs To Terror List in ‘War’ Against ‘These Vicious Animals’

The U.S. added two more foreign drug gangs to the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list, the State Department announced Thursday.

Two Ecuadorian gangs, Los Choneros and Los Lobos, will now be treated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government and Armed Forces, according to the State Department. President Donald Trump has given the green light for military strikes against cartel activity, most recently in a strike off Venezuela’s coast that killed 11 alleged Tren de Aragua members.

“The United States, in partnership with Ecuador and its President Daniel Noboa, will continue to protect our two nations by keeping illicit drugs off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding drug cartels’ terrorism and criminal activity,” the State Department said in its announcement. ”Today’s action further demonstrates the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to eliminating cartels and ensuring the safety of the American people.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: State Dept. Gutting Foreign Service Test — ‘Merit-Based’ Not ‘DEI Principles’)

Arrived in Quito, Ecuador last night. I’m meeting with President @DanielNoboaOk to strengthen the U.S.-Ecuador relationship, which ultimately makes both our nations more secure and more prosperous. We’re aligned as key partners on ending illegal immigration and combatting…

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) September 4, 2025

Both gangs are linked to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which are U.S.-sanctioned transnational criminal organizations

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with President Noboa in Quito on Wednesday, and spoke about the terror designation at a joint press conference with  Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld from the nation on Thursday.

“Frankly, it’s a war. It’s a war on killers. It’s a war on terror,” Rubio said in his remarks with the foreign minister. “We’re not going to sit back anymore and watch these people sail up and down the Caribbean like a cruise ship. It’s not going to happen … they’re not going to bring drugs into the United States.”

Ecuador suffers from an enormous crime problem, recently experiencing a massive surge in homicides at the hands of criminal gangs. The country has become a popular waystation for the cocaine trade to export illicit product across the world. Rubio said that new cooperation with Ecuador will enable the U.S. to more effectively deal with cartels.

Rubio was asked at Thursday’s presser what the designation as a terrorist group means in a practical sense. He responded that it will mean being able to “go after the money” and, perhaps more importantly, share more intelligence with partners “that can be actioned for potentially lethal operations.”

“It opens up the aperture for the amount of intelligence that we can share, which is very valuable when you’re trying to wage war against these vicious animals,” Rubio said.

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