MEXICO CITY — President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico addressed the ramifications of President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, which seeks to label drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. She emphasized that any implications for Mexico depend heavily on the two nations working in unison.
Sheinbaum reiterated Mexico’s commitment to uphold its sovereignty and independence while navigating potential cooperation with the U.S. regarding this order, which was enacted on Monday. “We share a common goal of tackling drug cartels,” Sheinbaum articulated during her daily press conference. “This fight occurs on our respective territories.”
The executive order specifically called attention to Mexican drug cartels, as well as various criminal organizations from Latin America, including the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the Salvadoran gang MS-13. The order states that these groups pose threats to American public safety, U.S. security, and the overall stability of the Western Hemisphere.
While the order didn’t identify specific Mexican cartels, it mandated that Cabinet members propose organizations for terrorist designation within a 14-day timeframe. This directive was part of a series of executive orders Trump initiated at the start of his administration, with a strong focus on enhancing security at the southern U.S. border.
The executive order detailed a violent and terror-inducing campaign waged by the cartels that has destabilized nations integral to U.S. interests, while contributing to drug-related incidents and gang violence within the United States.
The possible outcomes of this designation in combating cartels remain uncertain, but there are apprehensions that it might complicate the immigration process for those in countries where the cartels operate. This development comes alongside other measures such as declaring a state of emergency at the southern border and enforcing hefty tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada starting February 1, as well as discontinuing the CBP One app that previously enabled migrants to schedule asylum appointments.
Trump has indicated intentions to conduct mass deportations and has threatened military intervention against cartels in Mexico; however, such threats were swiftly rebuffed by Sheinbaum. Concerns have been raised that the terrorist label could offer a rationale for the U.S. to pursue military action against these criminal organizations.
Vanda Felbab-Brown, a specialist in organized crime at the Brookings Institution, noted that the executive order could significantly impact several areas, such as trade and immigration. Cartels have increasingly dominated the migrant smuggling industry, which complicates the asylum process for individuals trying to navigate through Mexico and beyond. Felbab-Brown indicated that payment to cartels for passage could jeopardize an individual’s chance to seek asylum in the U.S.
Mike Vigil, a former head of foreign operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, shared his expectations that a terrorism designation would not fundamentally alter the current tactics employed against cartels, as many relevant anti-terrorism measures are already integrated into counter-narcotics strategies. “This is essentially political theater, aimed at energizing Trump’s base,” he remarked.
The logistics of the executive order may empower the U.S. to confiscate the assets of designated groups, impose sanctions on Americans engaging with those entities, and prevent their members from entering the U.S. However, Vigil pointed out that it would not permit U.S. military forces to intervene in Mexico, as such an action would violate Mexico’s sovereignty and be tantamount to an act of war.
Amid escalating violence linked to cartels in northern Mexico, particularly following the apprehension of kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, confrontations between rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel have intensified. This uptick in violence has been marked by gruesome acts including dismembered bodies left in public and kidnappings from healthcare facilities.
The landscape of cartel conflict in Mexico has also evolved. Once dominated by a few powerful organizations, numerous factions now vie for dominance, employing advanced technologies such as bomb-destroying drones and armored vehicles. Their operations have expanded into various illicit trades, including migrant smuggling and the lucrative avocado market. The ramifications of these battles have left a tragic toll on Mexican civilians, many of whom have gone missing or lost their lives amidst the chaos.
Families of victims in regions plagued by cartel violence hope that formal recognition of cartels as terrorist entities could assist their pursuit of justice. Adrián LeBarón, whose daughter fell victim to a 2019 massacre in northern Mexico, expressed hope that this classification could draw greater attention to the plight of violence victims in a nation grappling with high rates of violence, despite not being in an official state of war. LeBarón has described the event as an act of terrorism and believes that such a designation could incentivize authorities to act on behalf of victims. “An investigation into terrorism is justice for every shattered family and community affected by this pervasive fear,” he remarked in a post on social media.
