These are the nine Mexican cartels that would be designated as terrorist organizations by the US
The president of the United States, donald trumpsigned an executive order this Monday, January 20, to designate the Mexican drug cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations” (FTO). This measure, according to the White House, seeks to address the threat that these organizations represent to national security and American citizens.
Among the Mexican cartels that could be classified as terrorist organizations are two transnational cartels: Sinaloa Cartel and he Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), but also seven other criminal groups that operate at a lower level and that have been highlighted in previous reports by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEAfor its acronym in English).
Although the executive order does not yet detail which cartels will be formally designated, legislators such as Senator John Kennedy and other Republican officials have identified at least nine groups that meet the criteria set out in US law.
Under US law, an organization can be designated as a “foreign terrorist” if it complies with three main criteria. First, it must be a group with headquarters or primary activities outside the United States, which ensures that it is an external threat.
Second, the organization must be involved in or have the capacity to carry out terrorist activities, including acts such as assassinations, kidnappings, or the use of explosive, chemical, or biological weapons for violent purposes. Finally, such activities must pose a significant threat to the safety of U.S. citizens or to the national security, including the defense, foreign relations, or economic interests of the country.
The names of at least nine drug trafficking cartels are based on the proposal presented in 2023 by a group of 21 state prosecutors, as well as on the “NARCOS Law”, promoted in the US Congress. For the designation to be official, it must still go through a series of steps before being finalized.
Among the drug cartels that could be included are the following:
Considered one of the most powerful cartels due to its level of reach in the world, its logistical capacity, transnational structure and control of routes have allowed it to traffic drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamines, marijuana and opioids such as fentanyl on a large scale.
Currently, the Sinaloa Cartel is experiencing an internal war that has pitted two of its main factions: Los Chapitosled by the children of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, and The Mayiza, which groups those who support Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, detained in the United States on July 25.
It is known for its extreme violence and military capabilities. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) originated after the fragmentation of the Millennium Cartel, also known as the Valencia Cartel, in the late 2000s and has rapidly expanded its influence in Mexico and internationally. It dominates the trafficking of methamphetamines and fentanyl.
Directed by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantesalias “El Mencho”one of the most wanted men in the United States and Mexico, with a reward of 15 million dollars for information leading to his capture.
It has a presence in at least 23 Mexican states and maintains operations in Asia, Europe and South America. Its expansion has made it a priority target for US authorities.
The Gulf Cartel (CDG), one of the oldest criminal organizations in Mexico, has fractured into several factions, including Los Metros in Reynosa, Los Rojos in Matamoros, Los Escorpiones in Río Bravo and Los Ciclones, with operations in Tamaulipas. .
In November 2024, a federal judge authorized the release of José Alfredo Cárdenas Martínez, known as “The Accountant”alleged leader of the CDG and nephew of Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, upon not finding sufficient evidence against him.
For its part, in December 2024, Osiel Cárdenas Guillén“El Mata Amigos,” who historically headed the CDG, was deported to Mexico after serving more than half of a 25-year sentence in the United States. Upon arrival, he was transferred to the Altiplano prison to face accusations of organized crime, drug trafficking and money laundering.
The CDG remains active in illegal activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and illicit fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Zetas They emerged in 1997 as the armed wing of the Gulf Cartel and separated in 2010 to operate independently, becoming one of the most violent criminal organizations in Mexico.
However, after the arrest of its main leaders, Miguel Ángel Trevino Morales (“Z-40″) in 2013 and his brother Omar Trevino Morales (“Z-42″) in 2015, the group fragmented considerably.
From these divisions various factions emerged, such as the Northeast Cartel (CDN), which has its main base in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and Los Zetas Old Schoolwith activities in states such as Hidalgo, Quintana Roo, Tamaulipas and Veracruz.
Despite the reduction in their power, these factions remain active in criminal activities such as drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and hydrocarbon theft.
The Northeast Cartel (CDN), a spinoff of Los Zetas, maintains a significant presence in northeastern Mexico, especially in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. In January 2025, federal and state authorities detained 27 suspected members of the CDN in southern Nuevo León, seizing an arsenal that included long weapons, a Barrett rifle, and a machine gun. This operation occurred after an increase in violence in the region, including road blockades and armed confrontations.
Additionally, in Xalapa, Veracruz, paintings attributed to the CDN have been reported, indicating a possible expansion of its influence in that area. At the international level, the United States government has intensified its efforts to extradite the brothers Miguel Ángel and Omar Treviño Morales, known as “Z-40″ and “Z-42″, accused of leading the CDN from prison.
The Juárez Cartel, established in the 1970s in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, is one of the oldest criminal organizations in Mexico. Founded by Rafael Aguilar Guajardo and Pablo Acosta Villarreal, the cartel gained notoriety under the leadership of Beloved Carrillo Fuentes, known as “The Lord of the Skies,” who significantly expanded his drug trafficking operations.
After the death of Carrillo Fuentes in 1997, his brother Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, alias “El Viceroy”assumed leadership until his capture in 2014. In October 2022 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for crimes related to drug trafficking.
Currently, it is believed that Juan Pablo Ledezma, alias “El JL”, He leads the Juárez Cartel. Ledezma has been identified as the head of La Línea, the armed wing of the cartel, and has been involved in violent territorial disputes in Chihuahua.
In recent years, the cartel has faced various challenges. In August 2022, the Attorney General’s Office extradited Carlos Arturo Quintana, alias “The 80”, leader of The Lineaccused of multiple crimes related to drug trafficking. Additionally, in October 2024, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned five members of La Línea for their participation in fentanyl trafficking and other illicit activities.
The Tijuana Cartel, also known as the Arellano Félix cartel, is a Mexican criminal organization dedicated to illegal drug trafficking and money laundering. Founded in 1989 in Tijuana, Baja California, by the Arellano Félix brothers after the fragmentation of the Guadalajara Cartelthe group was led by Benjamín Arellano Félix, with Ramón Arellano Félix as his second in command. During the 1980s and 1990s, the Tijuana Cartel was considered one of the largest and most violent in Mexico.
In recent years, the influence of the Tijuana Cartel has diminished due to the capture and death of its main leaders. Despite its weakening, it continues to be involved in criminal activities in the region, facing other groups such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) for control of trafficking routes to the United States.
The Beltrán Leyva Organization, also known as the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, is a Mexican criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking and other illicit activities.
Established in Sinaloa, Mexico, it was led by the brothers Arturo, Alfredo, Carlos and Héctor Beltrán Leyva. Originally, they collaborated closely with the Sinaloa Cartel; However, in 2008, after the capture of Alfredo Beltrán Leyva, alias “El Mochomo”, A rupture occurred between both groups, triggering a violent confrontation. The organization suffered significant blows with the death of Arturo Beltran Leyva in 2009 and the capture of Héctor Beltrán Leyva in 2014, which considerably weakened the cartel and led to its fragmentation into various criminal cells.
Despite its weakening, remnants of the organization continue to operate in some regions of Mexico, among these factions stand out Los Rojos, Los Ardillos and Guerreros Unidoswhich operate in Guerrero.
La Familia Michoacana is a Mexican criminal organization that initially operated as self-defense groups dedicated to combating drug trafficking in the region.
Over the years, the organization has evolved and expanded its influence to states such as Guerrero and the State of Mexico. Currently, the brothers are identified José Alfredo Olascoaga Hurtado, alias “El Fresa”, and Johnny Olascoaga Hurtado, known as “El Pez”, like the leaders of La Familia Michoacana.
In June 2024, the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on eight members of La Nueva Familia Michoacana, a faction of the cartel, for their participation in trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamines into the United States. These sanctions seek to interrupt its financial operations and limit its operational capacity.
The formal inclusion of these nine cartels on the list would allow US authorities to use more aggressive measures to combat them, such as freezing assets, using extraterritorial jurisdiction, and international cooperation to dismantle them.
With this designation, listed organizations will have restrictions similar to international terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS). Under US law, offering “material support” to these entities will be considered a serious crime, with penalties of up to 20 years in prison, fines of up to $250,000 or even life imprisonment, depending on the case, former FBI agent Alexander Drickersen explained to EFE.
