The United States has declared the following drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations: “Tren de Aragua – MS-13 – Sinaloa Cartel – Jalisco New Generation Cartel – United Cartels – Northeast Cartel – Gulf Cartel – Michoacán Family.”
This will give the government more firepower to go after these cartels. The Associated Press said that this is “unnecessarily broad and harsh” and “could damage relations and paralyze trade with Latin America.”
Do they think that Latin American countries are run by drug cartels? Do they not know that Latin American countries want to eradicate drug cartels too? In fact, Ecuador this week announced that they will seek foreign military assistance to fight the cartel, although they did not specify which foreign government they would turn to.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that Mexico will “not accept” any U.S. military action on the cartels inside of Mexico but does agree that the U.S. and Mexico should work together to eradicate them.
“If they make this decree to investigate even more in the United States the money laundering and the criminal groups that operate in the United States, that carry out those drug sales, it’s very good,” Sheinbaum said. “What we do not accept is the violation of our sovereignty.”
Elon Musk said on X that this designation “means they’re eligible for drone strikes.” Immediately no. Drone strikes on U.S. territory? Nope. Because, as we’ve learned in the Middle East, there is no such thing as precision airstrikes. That is the precision paradox. It is when the government tells you that they can launch targeted strikes and avoid collateral death and damage. They cannot. We would all be at risk from drone strikes.
