US to label Ecuadorian gangs as terror groups, Rubio warns of strikes

New Delhi, Sep 5:US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is ready to strike foreign criminal organisations if necessary, as he announced plans to designate Ecuador’s Los Lobos and Los Choneros gangs as foreign terrorist groups.

The move, requested by Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa, follows a US strike in the Caribbean that killed 11 suspected traffickers linked to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.

The designation will allow Washington to target gang assets and expand intelligence sharing with Quito. Rubio also pledged nearly $20m in security aid and drones to Ecuador, which has seen a surge in cartel violence as drug routes shift through the country.