State Department Notice Officially Designates 8 Cartels/Gangs as Terrorist Groups

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The United States State Department designated the gangs MS-13, Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel among several other drug cartels as global terrorist organizations, according to a Federal Register notice.

The notice issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the groups pose a risk to U.S. national security, foreign policy and economic interests.

The notice was drafted on February 6, prior to the NYT leak about the designations list and made public today. According to the notice...the Cartel Terrorist Designations go into effect upon the publishing of the letter. February 20, 2025.

The notice lists the full organization names of each of the groups and aliases. It should be noted that a few use legacy aliases including the Guadalajara Cartel as part of the Sinaloa Cartel. Carteles Unidos and Cartel del Golfo list specific factions that do not include all of the current groups. Notably missing are any Tijuana/CAF groups and Juarez/La Linea groups.

• Tren de Aragua (also known as Aragua Train)
• Mara Salvatrucha (also known as MS-13)
• Cartel de Sinaloa (also known as Sinaloa Cartel, Mexican Federation, Guadalajara Cartel)
• Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (also known as New Generation Cartel of Jalisco, CJNG, Jalisco New Generation Cartel)
• Carteles Unidos (also known as United Cartels, Tepalcatepec Cartel, Cartel de Tepalcatepec, The Grandfather Cartel, Cartel del Abuelo, Cartel de Los Reyes)
• Cartel del Noreste (also known as CDN, Northeast Cartel, Los Zetas)
• Cartel del Golfo (also known as CDG, Gulf Cartel, Osiel Cardenas-Guillen Organization)
• La Nueva Familia Michoacana (also known as LNFM)

On February 20, the announcement was officially made and each group was described in more detail.

TdA is a transnational organization that originated in Venezuela with cells in Colombia, Peru, and Chile, with further reports of sporadic presence in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Brazil. This brutal criminal group has conducted kidnappings, extorted businesses, bribed public officials, authorized its members to attack and kill U.S. law enforcement, and assassinated a Venezuelan opposition figure.

MS-13 is a transnational organization that originated in Los Angeles but shifted to Central America as individuals were deported there from the United States. MS-13 actively recruits, organizes, and spreads violence in several countries, primarily in Central America and North America, including El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. MS-13 has conducted numerous violent attacks, including assassination and the use of IEDs and drones, against El Salvador government officials and facilities. Additionally, MS-13 uses public displays of violence to intimidate civilian populations to obtain and control territory and manipulate the electoral process in El Salvador.

Cártel de Sinaloa is a transnational organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico. It is one of the world’s most powerful drug cartels and is one of the largest producers and traffickers of fentanyl and other illicit drugs to the United States. Cártel de Sinaloa has used violence to murder, kidnap, and intimidate civilians, government officials, and journalists.

CJNG is a transnational organization with a presence in nearly every part of Mexico. In addition to trafficking fentanyl, the group engages in extortion, migrant smuggling, oil and mineral theft, as well as weapons trade. The group has contacts across the Americas, as well as in Australia, China, and Southeast Asia. CJNG has conducted intimidating acts of violence, including attacks on Mexican military and police with military grade weaponry, the use of drones to drop explosives on Mexican law enforcement, and assassinations or attempted assassinations of Mexican officials.

CDN, formerly known as Los Zetas, is a transnational organization based in northeastern Mexico involved in drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, human smuggling, and other illicit activities. CDN uses violence to exert its criminal control, including attacks against government officials in Mexico.

LNFM is the successor of the La Familia Michoacana, a violent transnational organization based in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan with operations in the Mexican states Guerrero, Morelos, and Mexico. In addition to drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion, LNFM attacks government officials and uses violence, including drone attacks and explosives, to exert its criminal control and terrorize communities.

CDG is a violent transnational organization based in northeast Mexico involved in drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, human smuggling, and other illicit activities. CDG employs violence, including assassinations of civilians and government officials to intimidate the public and control territory.

CU is a violent transnational organization that formed from an alliance of multiple cartels and other groups in Michoacán, Mexico. Since its formation, CU has engaged in violent activities which have resulted in numerous civilian, military, and law enforcement casualties.

Terrorist designations expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks. As a result of actions taken today, all property and interests in property of those designated today that are in the United States or that are in possession or control of a U.S. person are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Moreover, designations can assist law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and governments.

Mainstream media have now picked up the story of the official designations with PBS reporting that the “foreign terrorist organization” label is unusual because it deploys a terrorist designation normally reserved for groups like al-Qaida or the Islamic State group that use violence for political ends not for money-focused crime rings such as the Latin American cartels.

The Trump administration argues that the international connections and operations of the groups  including drug trafficking, migrant smuggling and violent pushes to extend their territory warrant the designation.

Critics of the move call it an unnecessarily broad and harsh one that could damage relations and paralyze trade with Latin America. Businesses, banks and buyers could fear possible U.S. prosecution if they knowingly or unknowingly have any transactions that touch the world of the cartels.

Such cartels permeate Mexico’s economy, dealing not only in drug trafficking and migrant smuggling but fighting for control of the multibillion-dollar avocado business.

Aid groups say some past U.S. designations of groups as foreign terrorist organizations have threatened overall food imports into countries, for example, by making shipping companies fearful that U.S. prosecutors may accuse them of directly or indirectly supporting the targeted groups.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to Trump’s order last month that set up the new formal designation by saying Mexico would defend its sovereignty and independence while seeking coordination.

“We all want to fight the drug cartels,” Sheinbaum said. The U.S. “in their territory, us in our territory.”

Sources US, PBS, State

Categories: Donald Trump, terrorist organizations