On February 19, the U.S. Department of State made a significant declaration designating six Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. These criminal organizations are the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Northeast Cartel, United Cartels, Gulf Cartel, and the New Michoacan Family. According to the statement signed by Marco Rubio, these organizations pose a risk to the economy and security of Americans.
This designation entails a series of implications for the cartels, including the freezing and confiscation of their properties and liquid assets. This measure is taken with the aim of combating drug trafficking and the violence generated by these organizations in the border region of Chihuahua, where they primarily operate.
Despite this declaration, other Mexican cartels were left off Trump's 'blacklist'. A report issued in 2022 details that the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG are identified as the groups with the greatest presence in Mexico and the United States. They are considered responsible for the trafficking of fentanyl to the United States, making them the most dangerous according to the U.S. administration.
On the other hand, the Juarez Cartel, founded by Amado Carrillo Fuentes, is also active in the country but was not included on the list of terrorist cartels. Despite this, the U.S. government considers a total of 12 Mexican cartels as dangerous organizations and reserves the right to use force against them as part of its actions in the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking.
