Sheinbaum’s government consults with lawyers if declaring drug trafficking cartels as terrorists affects Mexico

Given the officialization of the executive order of the president of USADonald Trump, in which he considers naming the drug cartels as terrorist organizationsthe president Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo reported this Friday that Mexico already has a team of lawyers that is doing an analysis of the various implications that this action would have.

It was at the morning press conference on January 24, where the federal president announced that she instructed the carrying out of a legal analysis of the topicsince he considers that it could generate an “economic problem.”

“What we are doing is an analysis of what implications it would have for various organizations that are not linked, but that could, with this decision, generate an economic problem; and in any case make a statement to the US how to collaborate together,” he explained.

Along these lines, he recalled that the executive order, signed last January 20establishes an analysis period of 14 days, so there is time to define what Mexico’s response will be.

“We have a team of lawyers who are doing the analysis because of the various implications it could have. What are we doing to combat these criminal organizations? The issue here is whether the definition of terrorist organizations helps to combat them,” he reiterated.

On the other hand, he pointed out that Mexico already has a security strategy to combat drug production, as well as to prevent the consumption of fentanyl.

“We think it doesn’t help (…). We have a comprehensive strategy and in that strategy there can be collaboration and coordination. The issue of fentanyl consumption is also important because it is not only a matter of criminal groups, it is also a matter of public health and attention to the cause,” he said.

As part of his first actions back in the White House, Donald Trump signed an executive order to designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations. Among their arguments, the following stand out:

• International cartels constitute a threat to national security that goes beyond that proposed by traditional organized crime.
• The cartels have undertaken a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western Hemisphere that has not only destabilized countries of great importance to US interests, but has also flooded the neighboring north with ““deadly drugs, violent criminals and vicious gangs”.
• “The cartels functionally control, through a campaign of murder, terror, rape and brute force, almost all illegal trafficking across the southern border of the United States.”
• “In certain parts of Mexico, drug cartels operate as quasi-governmental entities, controlling almost every aspect of society.”
• “Their activities, proximity, and incursions into the physical territory of the United States pose an unacceptable risk to national security.”

After the Republican politician signed the executive order, a reporter asked him if the above would imply taking actions against the organizations in Mexican territory.

“It could happen, stranger things have happened”he responded.