By Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood, CNN

(CNN) — The US State Department is designating two Ecuadorian criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in the country’s capital, Quito, on Thursday, where he made the case that it could now carry out lethal operations against those gangs with the help of US intelligence.

The designations of Los Lobos and Los Choneros “brings with it all sorts of options in the United States to work in conjunction with the government of Ecuador in the future to stamp these groups out,” Rubio said alongside Ecuador’s foreign minister.

The top US diplomat said the designations not only allow the US to impose sanctions, but also mean it can share intelligence with Ecuador “that can be actioned for potentially lethal operations.”

“It opens up the aperture for the amount of intelligence that we can now share, which is very valuable when you’re trying to wage war against these vicious animals,” Rubio continued.

The announcement of the designations comes days after the administration lethally struck a boat that it said was tied to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, which it also designated as a foreign terrorist organization. Questions remain about the specifics of the strike and its legality.

But Rubio made the case that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is a “major player” in the drug trade in the region.

“I don’t care what the UN says. UN doesn’t know what they’re talking about,” Rubio said, arguing that Maduro is a narco-trafficker.

Rubio also announced the US would provide $13.5 million “to help Ecuador improve its ability to provide security for its citizens, take on the combat drugs and crime.” The US will provide another $6 million in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for Ecuador’s Navy.

“These are all very important. We’re going to do more. There’s more coming, but that’s an important step that we wanted to take here today, and I’m proud to announce it,” Rubio said.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has said he would welcome foreign forces to help combat gangs. As CNN reported, there are preparations to host US forces in Ecuador.

Rubio underscored that the policy of the administration is no longer to intercept suspected drug dealers, it is “wage war” on them.

“We’re not just going to hunt for drug dealers with their little fast boats and say, ‘Let’s try to arrest them.’ No, the president said he wants to wage war,” he said.

Rubio said cooperative governments in Latin America, such as Ecuador, do not need to fear unilateral US military action that targets suspected drug traffickers.

Rubio praised Noboa, saying that he is a willing partner who has done more to take on drug traffickers in his country than any administration in the past.

“They’re going to help us find these people and blow them up if that’s what it takes,” he said.

Rubio emphasized the US has adopted a very different stance on Venezuela.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Venezuela is not a cocaine-producing country and most cocaine that ends up in the US transits through countries other than Venezuela.

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