A man in a dark suit with a red tie speaks at a podium with a microphone against a light blue background. — An important list of drug cartels will be designated as terrorist organizations | La Derecha Diario

Camara — An important list of drug cartels will be designated as terrorist organizations | La Derecha Diario

The United States will include drug cartels as terrorist organizations

A long list of drug trafficking associations will be designated as terrorist groups by the Trump administration.

13/02/2025 18:13:00h

Editorial Team

The administration of Trump plans to designate more than a dozen criminal groups with roots in Latin America as foreign terrorist organizations, according to five U.S. officials.

This measure will be implemented by the State Department and follows an executive order signed by Trump on January 20, which seeks to intensify the fight against drug cartels. According to the officials, the designation will include eight groups, although the list could be modified before a public announcement.

The executive order labeled the cartels as a threat to the national security of the United States, beyond traditional organized crime, and stated that the country would seek the "total elimination" of these organizations.

Trump assigned a two-week deadline to the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to consult with other cabinet members and make the designations.

Two men in dark suits shake hands and smile at an event with an audience in the background.

President Trump entrusted Marco Rubio with the task of making the appointments | La Derecha Diario

These groups and their members could be labeled as foreign terrorist organizations or specifically designated global terrorists, allowing the United States to impose broad economic sanctions against them and their associates.

Among the groups mentioned in the executive order are the Tren de Aragua, an organization originating from Venezuela, and the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a gang founded by Salvadoran immigrants in the United States that plays a significant role in transnational drug trafficking.

In addition to these two, the State Department plans to designate Colombian cartels, such as the Clan del Golfo, and five Mexican cartels: the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the Northeast Cartel, the Familia Michoacana, and the United Cartels.

The Clan del Golfo, based in Colombia, has worked for more than two decades with Mexican cartels to supply cocaine, which is then trafficked to the United States.

Four people with tattoos on their backs are standing in an outdoor patio with clothes hanging in the background.

MS-13 is among the designations of terrorist organizations | La Derecha Diario

Since 2017, due to the drop in cocaine prices, the Colombian cartel has also engaged in migrant trafficking to offset economic losses. This organization controls the Darien Gap, a narrow land corridor between Colombia and Panama that connects South America with North America.

Migrants from various parts of the world, such as China, Sudan, and Venezuela, cross this dangerous passage on their way to the United States, paying large sums of money to Clan del Golfo operatives for protection.

Although the State Department originally planned to complete the list of designations last week, the inclusion of groups involved in migrant trafficking caused some delay.

The Mexican cartels listed collaborate closely with the Clan del Golfo to traffic migrants through Latin America to the United States.

A large group of people crosses a shallow river surrounded by trees in a natural setting.

The Darién Gap is one of the places used for the mass trafficking of migrants | La Derecha Diario

In his public statements, Rubio has emphasized the need to dismantle the Mexican cartels, indicating that there are areas in Mexicowhere the cartels effectively control the territory, allowing them to facilitate illegal migration and the trafficking of substances like fentanyl to the United States.

This synthetic opioid has created a public health crisis in the country and, according to Rubio, represents a threat to national security.

The Mexican government affiliated with drug trafficking has unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate with the Trump administration to prevent Mexican cartels from receiving this "terrorist" designation. Of the eight designated groups, five are Mexican.

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Rubio pointed out that these groups represent a threat to national security | La Derecha Diario

The Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel are the largest and control much of the fentanyl market, producing this drug in Mexico and then smuggling it north.

In addition to these, the list includes the Northeast Cartel and two smaller groups: the Familia Michoacana and the United Cartels, which function as support groups for the large cartels, helping to expand their territorial control.

A criminal group is only considered a cartel if it has enough control over the drug market to influence substance prices in international markets like New York or London.

A jar of pills tipped over with orange capsules and white tablets scattered on a white surface.

The Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel control a large part of the fentanyl market | La Derecha Diario

According to a U.S. official, the net profits from the international operations of the Mexican cartels could reach up to 20 billion dollars annually, almost 2% of Mexico's Gross Domestic Product.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration announced that cooperation with Canada will be tightened to counter the presence of the Tren de Aragua at the border. Additionally, Trump stated that he communicated with "Governor Trudeau" of Canada, who expressed his concern about the lack of security in his country.

➡️ Argentina