After Donald Trump signed an order designating organized crime groups as terrorists, Héctor Vasconcelos, Mexico's representative to the United Nations (UN), warned about the dangers of equating cartels under this classification. He stated that this approach could lead to failed strategies by treating organized crime and terrorism as a single problem.
During a meeting with the UN Security Council, Vasconcelos emphasized that transnational organized crime manifests in various ways around the world and it is crucial not to confuse it with terrorism. Erroneously linking these two phenomena risks stigmatizing communities and regions where these criminal groups operate.
In this regard, the Mexican representative pointed out the importance of not losing sight of the nuances and avoiding simplistic links between terrorism and organized crime. Moreover, he indicated that treating these issues uniformly could have negative consequences in terms of strategies and the dynamics of international security.
Vasconcelos mentioned that during a session of the UN Security Council, the fight against terrorism in Africa and the initiatives promoted on that continent were discussed. He also highlighted the need to respect the sovereignty and independence of states when addressing these issues.
On the other hand, the Mexican representative rejected the "doctrine of incapacity or unwillingness" used by some nations to justify unilateral and extraterritorial interventions. He also expressed his concern about the interpretation of international law that undermines the principles of sovereignty and territory of nations.
In relation to the executive order signed by Trump that designates drug cartels as terrorist groups, uncertainty has arisen regarding the possibility of a U.S. military intervention in Mexico to combat these criminal organizations. The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, reported that according to the document, the U.S. government has at least two weeks to analyze which drug trafficking groups will be classified as terrorist organizations.
