U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced today during his visit to Ecuador, that the United States would be designating two Ecuadorian-based gangs, Los Choneros and Los Lobos, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT), a move welcomed by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, who has also requested that U.S. Soldiers be deployed to Ecuador to assist in combating the gangs that have plagued the country since at least 2019. In addition, Rubio announced that the U.S. would provide $13.5 Million “to help Ecuador improve its ability to provide security for its citizens, take on and combat drugs and crime,” as well as another $6 Million in drones for the Ecuadorian Navy.