In certain parts of Mexico, there are entities that function in a quasi-governmental manner, practically controlling all aspects of society. Their activities, as well as their incursions into U.S. territory, pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States, threatening the safety of the American people, the security of the country, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere.
In a tragic event, the children of a family, Alexander and Gael, were seriously injured in an attack. Gael, 12 years old, died last Monday, while Alexander, only nine years old, died the following day. Their cousin Luis Adolfo, 17 years old, was also injured in the attack.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed an executive order on Monday to classify Mexican cartels, the criminal group Tren de Aragua, and the Salvadoran gang MS-13 as terrorist organizations, placing them on a list alongside Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. This measure prohibits U.S. businesses and citizens from providing them material support.
After the signing, Trump mentioned that Mexico likely does not want this classification and, when asked if this decision would involve attacks on Mexican territory against the cartels, he replied: "It could happen; stranger things have happened."
Regarding the tragic incident in Culiacán, of which the family was a victim, it is reported that the attack, in which the man Antonio de Jesús Sarmiento lost his life initially, occurred with the intent to deprive the family of their vehicle. Mexican cartels are noted for their control of a large part of the illegal trafficking through the southern border of the United States, employing campaigns of terror and extreme violence to achieve their ends.
