United States of America

US Designates Ecuador's 'Chone Killers' as Terrorist Group

Is this a vital safety tool or an overreach that risks escalation while harming vulnerable people?

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US Designates Ecuador's 'Chone Killers' as Terrorist Group

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Above: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with members of the media in Manama, Bahrain, on June 25. Image credit: Eric Lee/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Designating the Chone Killers as a Foreign Terrorist Organization is a vital step to protect Americans. Ecuadorian gangs funnel drugs and violence across the hemisphere by working hand-in-hand with Mexican cartels, and, with President Daniel Noboa's government backing the move, the designation gives law enforcement the tools to dismantle them. The 500% surge in Tren de Aragua arrests since 2024 proves these designations are working.

Marco Rubio on X

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador on X

Kash Patel on X

Establishment-critical narrative

Slapping terrorist labels on gangs like the Chone Killers sets a dangerous precedent that could justify U.S. military strikes abroad while crushing vulnerable people at home. The FTO designation's material support laws are so broad that asylum seekers, churches and food banks could face prosecution for helping migrants. Existing laws already cover drug trafficking, making this designation more about expanding executive power than public safety.

Daniel DePetris on X Brennan Center for Justice