The designation of
Mexican drug trafficking cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations"
will not give the US government new tools for fighting, according to
specialists.
Trump says he will
designate cartels as terrorists
What if they designate
'terrorists' to cartels?
This Tuesday, in a
radio interview with host Bill O'Reilly, President Donald Trump said the United
States is ready to designate Mexican cartels as terrorist groups.
However, according to
Vanda Felbab-Brown, a researcher at the Brookings Institution, this action does
not really provide additional tools.
"The EU already
has the same set of tools against cartels without the need for a designation.
And even more, the designation would restrict other types of policy
measures," the specialist working in Afghanistan, Mexico and Colombia told
REFORMA.
Since 1999, Mexican
cartels are already subject to similar sanctions under the Narco Foreign Chiefs
Designation Act (Kingpin Law) that prohibits material support for them, as well
as freezes their assets within the US and prohibits transactions with them.
According to
regulations, the Bureau of Counterterrorism of the State Department is
responsible for identifying entities that could be subject to designation as a
foreign terrorist organization.
The three requirements
to be designated as a foreign terrorist organization are: being a foreign-based
organization, having the ability to engage in terrorism and threaten the
security of nationals or US interests.
As others tried
unsuccessfully in 2011, Republican congressmen Mark Green of Tennessee and Chip
Roy of Texas sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this February
asking to designate the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
"These cartels
have used barbaric tactics, including those adopted by (the Islamic State in
Iraq and Syria) ISIS and Al Qaeda: murder and torture innocents, destabilize
countries and kill members of the Police," both congressmen said in a
statement in February.
Designation under
Kingpin Law
- Prohibits material
support for designated drug traffickers, making it illegal.
- Freezes assets that
an individual or business designated as a drug trafficker may have under the
jurisdiction of the United States, as well as prohibits persons from the United
States from entering into transactions with him.
Designation as a
Foreign Terrorist Organization
- Prohibits material
support to designated foreign terrorist organizations, rendering it illegal.
- Freezes assets that
organizations designated as foreign terrorists may have under US jurisdiction
as well as prohibits people from the United States from entering into
transactions with it.
- Representatives and
members of a designated foreign terrorist organization are inadmissible and, in
certain circumstances, deportable.
Note: A few of the points the designation will do
Designating the cartels
as terrorist organizations is a powerful measure. Under U.S. law, it is illegal
to knowingly support designated terrorist organizations, and people associated
with designated organizations are barred from entering the U.S. Financial institutions
are also prohibited from doing business with designated organizations.
Policy changes that
include classifying Mexican TCOs as FTOs and a reassessment of Mexico under the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which requires countries to
implement measures that address human trafficking in order to receive American
aid. Mexico does not meet the minimum standards in several key areas, according
to State Department documents.
Properly designating
the major Mexican TCOs—including Los Zetas, Juárez and Sinaloa cartels—as FTOs
would enhance the federal government’s ability to combat that threat. An
official FTO designation would enable the prosecution of those who provide
material support to them, facilitate the denial of entry and deportation of TCO
members and affiliates and eliminate the organizations’ access to the U.S.
financial system. “FTO designations play a critical role in our fight against
terrorism and are an effective means of curtailing support for terrorist
activities and pressuring groups to get out of the terrorism business,”
according to the State Department.
Mexican President
Andrés Manuel López Obrador's administration was "caught off-guard"
by the announcement, the New York Times reported. Mexico's foreign ministry
said in a statement they want to meet with senior-level U.S. diplomats "as
soon as possible" to discuss Trump's actions.
LOL at Mexican "sovereignty"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.borderlandbeat.com/2019/11/mexico-2019-statistics-previewed-53.html
Mexico is the national equivalent of a mentally ill homeless person flinging feces.
Both need serious intervention and help. Neither will admit it.
Yes a senile, blind ALMO, does not want American help. I wonder if his script advisor, will type up to say something dumb, regarding the new cartel label.
Delete
Delete"Mexico is the national equivalent of a mentally ill homeless person flinging feces.
Both need serious intervention and help. Neither will admit it."
Brilliant.
If Mexico can't or won't do anything about the predicament, outside forces will.
ReplyDeleteWhile they are doing that, label AMLO as a kingpin and the entire government as accomplices involved in drug running and murder, tax evasion, conspiracy, theft,kidnappung, etc
ReplyDeleteIt's not rocket science to know that AMLO received special privileges from cartels. How else can one explain his worry free attitude when politicians were being slaughtered.
DeleteBreakfast at Sinaloa's Tiffany's with Chapos mother clearly said it all.
Lol ALMO can't fight his way out of a wet paper bag. He was the wimpy kid in school which explains why hes all passive and limp wristed. He is cartels best friend.
DeleteWe need Calderon again.
DeleteExcellent 👍 all cartels will be under terrorist, just like the Rico Act, ALMO does nothing, good category.
ReplyDeleteThe Brookings Institution is a far-left, anti-Trump organization that criticizes and complains about everything Trump does.
ReplyDeleteMexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's administration was "caught off-guard" by the announcement, the New York Times reported.
ReplyDelete*That dip-shot AMLO seems to always be caught off guard!
*What did he think all the chaos in Mexico would bring?
Mexico will be officially though of as the “Beirut” of the 1980’s, in the Western Hemisphere.
How many people would want to vacation or invest in Lebanon in the 1980s when terrorists are killing people. Not many.
It’s clear that average People in Mexico and Mexican Media are apathetic to the current chaos and things will get worse.
Queso
They should put sanctions on all of the major narco families and everyone in the Lopez Obrador administration. Have DOJ OFAC seize any and all assets that AMLO and his narcogobierno have in the U.S. (and I promise you he has MILLIONS here).
ReplyDeleteAlmo support Cartels
ReplyDeleteMexican Government is the main traitors of the nation, there is no sovereign shit in Mexico. U.S.A. controls Latin America economically wise decades ago but the Mexican Government is rooted too deeply with the narcotrafico. The government are the terrorists.
ReplyDelete@1:38 You are just an ignorant fool, I wonder what country you from, every country is facing a lot of trouble these days and Mexico is next to U.S.A. so you go figure why is so fucked up.
Mexico unfortunately is a failed state completely run by warlords. The general populace is too afraid to protest, or they are part of it. I love Mexico. My wife is Mexican. It is heart breaking to watch. What the US SHOULD do is designate drug cartels as terrorists (which is what they are) AND designate their customers (US consumers of drugs) as supporting terrorists (which is what they do)
ReplyDeleteWell, playing things out to their logical conclusion, what will Mexico’s reaction be to Predator / Reaper drone strikes inside of Mexico.
ReplyDeleteWithin 30-miles of the U.S. border they would have an almost unimpeded killing arc and Mexico would occasionally lose some non-cartel citizens (or claimed non-cartel members - assuming that the Mexican’s state or Cartel propaganda organs behave like the Taliban’s).
Mexico would likely have few net deaths than they have now, so it’s not as if the Mexico people aren’t benefiting from these target strikes as well.
Mexican national pride might take a hit, but that has to be an improvement over the failed state it now seems to be.
1:35 AM Just imagine what the Taliban would do if they had 100,000 of their people in the US?
Delete1:35 AM,
DeleteAre you saying that Mexicans are like the Taliban?
Hug this Amlo.
ReplyDeleteNow THAT would be something that gives Mexican citizens - who are the biggest victims in all this, a chance to re-take control of Mexico ...getting rid of the corrupt politicians is something that needs to happen or Mexico has no hope.
ReplyDelete