US designates Ecuador’s Chone Killers gang as ‘terrorist’ organisation

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the gang ⁠had also been classified as a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist’.The US⁠ State Department has designated the Ecuadorean gang Chone Killers as a foreign “terrorist organisation”, imposing sanctions on a crime ⁠group that Washington has accused of carrying out attacks on civilians and public officials.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the gang ⁠has also been classified as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3How Mexican cartels turned South Africa’s farms into meth production hubslist 2 of 3Trump says US strike killed Tren de Aragua gang boss with Venezuelan helplist 3 of 3US Supreme Court eases restrictions on drug users owning firearmsend of list“Chone Killers has committed numerous attacks targeting civilians, law enforcement officers and government officials, including high-profile assassinations of public officials,” Rubio said in a statement announcing the designations.The move against the Ecuadorian street gang ‌is part of a broader campaign by US President Donald Trump’s administration on organised crime and drug trafficking in Latin America.The Trump administration has designated several other Latin American gangs and drug cartels as “terrorist” organisations, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and the Mexican Sinaloa cartel.“The Trump administration, in ⁠partnership with Ecuador and President Daniel Noboa, will continue to protect our hemisphere by keeping illicit drugs off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding ⁠violent narcoterrorists,” Rubio said.Rubio also alleged that Ecuadorean gangs help Mexican cartels transport and export illegal drugs, ⁠which he said fund “terrorism” and other ⁠criminal activity.Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the US decision, saying it reflected Washington’s strong support for Noboa’s campaign against criminal organisations.