The United States on Wednesday designated Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa cartel and
other drug cartels as global terrorist organizations, according to a Federal Register notice.
The U.S. State Department notice said the groups pose a risk to U.S. national security, foreign policy and economic interests.
President Donald Trump, a Republican, issued an executive order after taking office on January 20 that called on officials to evaluate whether any criminal cartels or
transnational gangs should be designated at terror groups.
During Trump’s 2017-2021 presidency, he considered such designations but ultimately shelved the plans.
But after taking office, Trump ordered top officials to take steps to prepare to invoke a 1798 wartime law that could allow him to deport alleged gang members without court hearings.
The designations may not imply a declaration of war but it is a warning to individuals not to provide any kind of support to such groups and also empowers victims of drug cartels to seek compensation through law suits.
The Trump administration is also expected to use the designation to freeze the financial and other assets of drug cartels. Those on the radar of the administration include Mexico’s notorious cartels and other criminal organisations such as El Salvador’s MS-13.
Important to note that while terrorist organisations usually have political goals, drug cartels are there only to make money. By lumping them together could that dilute the commitment against terrorist groups?
The other view is whether these are drug cartels or terrorist organisations, both operate in a similar fashion, using intimidation and violence to achieve their goals. Some drug cartels such as those in Colombia, even tried to take on the government.
US businesses operating in Mexico may have more reason to be cautious, given the fact that cartels are deeply embedded in the economy. It leaves them open to prosecution back home if it is found that their operations have aided the cartels.
With Reuters inputs
