Various sectors of the economy, such as mining, agriculture, livestock, communications, and transportation, have been affected by the incursion of criminal groups in Mexico. These organizations, both legal and illegal, create jobs and their profits integrate into the financial system, noted security specialist Eduardo Guerrero.
Mexican companies must be vigilant to avoid any kind of link with organized crime and prevent sanctions, especially from U.S. authorities. Companies that maintain relations with Mexican cartels run the risk of having their assets and bank accounts frozen.
To evade security operations in the United States and Mexico, which have led to the arrest of criminal leaders and seizures of illegal substances, Mexican cartels have diversified their operations. The inclusion of six Mexican cartels on the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the U.S. government in February 2025 presents an additional challenge for financial institutions and large companies in both countries.
Security expert Eduardo Guerrero warned about the challenges that companies in Mexico and the United States will face to avoid any connection with Mexican cartels. These criminal organizations have amassed significant resources through illegal activities such as drug dealing, drug and arms trafficking, extortion, human trafficking, and kidnapping, among others.
Guerrero mentioned cases of sanctions imposed on foreign companies for supporting terrorist groups, such as the multinational Chiquita Brands International and the French construction company Lafarge. In addition to account freezes and economic sanctions, companies linked to terrorist groups could face criminal proceedings, trade restrictions, loss of licenses and contracts, as well as international sanctions in other countries.
Recently, the Canadian government also included Mexican cartels on its list of terrorist organizations as part of negotiations with the United States to combat fentanyl trafficking and avoid potential tariffs.
