In brief
In a significant escalation of its anti-cartel strategy, the Trump administration is set to designate several Latin American criminal organizations as foreign terrorist entities, following an executive order from President Trump. This decision, communicated by U.S. officials who requested anonymity, includes the identification of at least eight groups, which may be tweaked before the official announcement occurs.
The executive order asserts that these cartels pose a "national-security threat beyond that posed by traditional organized crime," underscoring the need for a comprehensive response. President Trump has tasked Secretary of State Marco Rubio with consulting other cabinet members to finalize the designations. These designations will empower the U.S. government to enforce broad economic sanctions against the organizations and their affiliates.Specified in the executive order are the Mexican cartels such as the Sinaloa cartel and the Jalisco New Generation cartel, alongside the Tren de Aragua from Venezuela and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). Other entities expected to be labeled include the Clan del Golfo from Colombia and various groups based in Mexico. Through these measures, the Trump administration aims to ensure the "total elimination" of these groups, reflecting a heightened focus on securing the borders and addressing drug trafficking issues.
