U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in a statement
that the U.S. government has designated the Ecuadorian criminal organization
Chone Killers as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially
Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), a move that expands the legal and financial
tools available to combat its activities.
In his statement, Rubio indicated that this criminal
organization maintains alleged ties to Mexican drug cartels, which, he
asserted, it supports in the transportation and export of narcotics to
international markets. According to the official, the resources obtained
through these illicit activities are used to finance actions related to
terrorism and other forms of transnational organized crime.
The Secretary of State also asserted that the Chone Killers
have been responsible for attacks targeting civilians, law enforcement
officers, and government officials, which, according to Washington, represents
a significant threat to regional security and justifies the application of more
severe sanctions.
With this designation, U.S. authorities will be able to
restrict the organization's access to the financial system under U.S.
jurisdiction, freeze assets subject to U.S. laws, and impose sanctions on
individuals or entities that provide material support or resources to the
group. These measures are part of the U.S. government's strategy to combat
international criminal organizations that it considers responsible for
activities that affect national security and stability in the region.
The announcement comes amid growing cooperation among
various countries to confront the advance of transnational organized crime
networks, especially those dedicated to drug trafficking, money laundering, and
other high-impact crimes.