U.S. designates Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, unleashing financial warfare

• Trump administration designates Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations to combat drug and human trafficking.
• FTO designation allows financial sanctions, asset freezes, and prosecution of supporters to disrupt cartel operations.
• Military and intelligence operations intensify, with spy planes and drones surveilling cartel regions and border areas.
• Strategy targets transnational criminal groups beyond Mexico, reflecting a broader “America First” national security approach.
• Critics warn of potential complications in U.S.-Mexico relations and impact on asylum seekers, but the move is seen as crucial for border security.

In a bold move to combat the escalating drug and human trafficking crisis, the Trump administration has officially designated several Mexican drug cartels and transnational criminal gangs as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs).

The decision, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, targets groups like the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, among others. This designation, effective immediately, empowers the U.S. government to disrupt the financial networks and command structures of these organizations, marking a significant escalation in the fight against cartel-driven violence and drug-related deaths in America.

The move comes after President Trump signed an executive order on his first day back in office, directing federal agencies to evaluate whether these criminal groups should be classified as terrorist organizations. “The cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western Hemisphere,” Trump wrote in the order, emphasizing their role in destabilizing nations and flooding the U.S. with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and gangs.

Financial warfare against cartels

The FTO designation allows the U.S. government to impose severe financial sanctions, freeze assets, and prosecute individuals or entities providing material support to these groups. “You could go after people trafficking firearms to the cartels; you could arrest them for providing material to a foreign terrorist organization,” said Ioan Grillo, a Mexico-based journalist. This strategy aims to cripple the cartels’ ability to operate by targeting their funding sources, including corrupt officials and international accomplices.

Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society, explained that the designation places these groups “at the highest level” of U.S. national security interest. “Trump just put all of them on notice,” Humire said. “This said: ‘We know you’re here; we know you’re up to no good, and we’re going to come after you.’”

Military and intelligence operations intensify

The designation also opens the door for broader military and intelligence operations. Recent reports reveal that U.S. spy planes and drones have been conducting surveillance along the U.S.-Mexico border and over cartel-dominated regions in Mexico. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hinted that military action could be on the table if cartels target Americans or U.S. officials. “All options will be on the table if we’re dealing with what are designated to be foreign terrorist organizations who are specifically targeting Americans on our border,” Hegseth said.

The administration’s strategy is not limited to Mexico. It also targets transnational criminal organizations spanning from Canada to China, reflecting a broader “America First” approach to national security.

While the designation has been praised by many as a necessary step to protect American lives, some critics argue it could complicate U.S.-Mexico relations and raise concerns about its impact on asylum seekers. However, Trump’s administration has framed the move as essential to restoring security at the U.S.-Mexico border and combating the drug overdose crisis, which claims over 100,000 American lives annually.

As the U.S. ramps up its efforts to dismantle these criminal networks, the fight against cartels is expected to intensify. With financial warfare, military readiness, and international collaboration, the Trump administration is showing the world that the era of cartel impunity is over.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

FoxNews.com

YourNews.com

Reuters.com