U.S. Designates Latin American Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

Following an executive order from President Trump, the U.S. State Department will designate more than six Latin American cartels as terrorist organizations. Key groups like Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation will be affected, allowing for broader economic sanctions against them.

The Trump administration is preparing to designate over a half-dozen criminal organizations from Latin America as foreign terrorist entities, according to five U.S. officials familiar with the planned action. This decision comes shortly after an executive order signed by President Trump on January 20, which calls for strict measures against major cartel operations. The impending announcement is expected to encompass eight distinct groups, although officials indicated that this list may be subject to change before it is made public.

The executive order underscores that these cartels pose a national security threat beyond traditional organized crime and asserts the United States' intention to ensure the “total elimination” of these groups. In light of this, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been given a two-week timeframe to finalize the designations, working closely with other Cabinet members.

The designation would allow for extensive economic sanctions against the cartels and their affiliates. Among the cartels expected to be designated are Tren de Aragua, originating from Venezuela, and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), which was founded by Salvadoran immigrants in the U.S. The State Department is also likely to target prominent Mexican organizations, including the Sinaloa cartel, Jalisco New Generation cartel, the Northeast cartel, the Michoacán family, and the United cartels, alongside Colombia's Clan del Golfo.

The anticipated move represents a significant escalation of U.S. efforts to combat the influence and operations of powerful drug trafficking organizations throughout Latin America, particularly those involved in the transnational drug trade.