Mexican Cartels Terrorist Organizations: US Declaration

The United States has officially designated six major Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Among those listed are the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

The Tren de Aragua and the notorious gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) have also been included.

This action was formalized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an official document.

Measure Takes Effect and Expands the List of Cartels Declared as Terrorist Organizations

In addition to the Sinaloa Cartel and the CJNG, several other Mexican criminal groups have been added to the list:

«I hereby designate these organizations and their aliases as foreign terrorist organizations,» Rubio stated.

This decision complies with an executive order signed by Donald Trump during his first day in office.

But Mexico opposes the terrorist designation.

The Mexican government has opposed this designation for years.

fearing that it could open the door to potential U.S. military intervention on Mexican soil.

Reports from various media outlets suggest that the CIA has already deployed spy drones in Mexico.

This, allegedly, to identify fentanyl laboratories.

On Tuesday, Trump claimed that Mexico is «largely governed by cartels.»

In response, President Claudia Sheinbaum declared that she is «not afraid» of a possible invasion.

She asserted that she feels supported by the Mexican population.

The Tren de Aragua had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2023.

Trump has pledged to deport members of this criminal organization found within the United States.

He has even suggested sending them to Guantánamo Bay.

MS-13, which has a strong presence in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, has been sanctioned by the Treasury since 2012.

The inclusion of these criminal organizations on the terrorist list could negatively affect migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Many of these groups are also heavily involved in human trafficking, increasing concerns over migrant safety and border security.