The President of the United States, Donald Trump, mentioned in a speech on January 20 some organized crime groups that threaten the safety of the American people. Among them are the Venezuelan organization Tren de Aragua and Mara Salvatrucha. According to the issued order, these actions are considered "extraordinarily violent and ruthless," leading them to be the first criminal organizations to be designated as terrorists for operating within and outside the United States.
The U.S. government has two weeks to analyze which drug trafficking groups in Mexico will be designated as terrorist organizations. The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, stated in a conference that despite coordination between both countries, Mexico is a free, independent, and sovereign nation.
Trump has repeatedly pointed out that the cartels are the main generators of violence and traffic fentanyl into the United States. The document describes these groups as a threat to national security that goes beyond organized crime in general, engaging in activities from terrorism to infiltration into foreign governments.
Drug trafficking organizations operate with campaigns of murder, terror, and violations, as well as exercising control over large areas of society in certain parts of Mexico. One of the first executive orders signed by Trump was the decree to designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations with the aim of destabilizing countries.
The executive order establishes a process to designate certain international cartels and other organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, citing the influx of deadly drugs like fentanyl into the United States. Despite not specifically mentioning Mexican cartels, President Claudia Sheinbaum has emphasized the defense of Mexico's sovereignty and independence in the face of these measures, reiterating that Mexico will not allow its sovereignty to be violated.
