US designates eight Mexican drug cartels and Central American gangs as terrorist organizations

In July 2026 the United States expanded its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists to include eight Mexican drug cartels—Juárez, Los Viagras, Sinaloa, Jalisco New Generation, Noreste, La Nueva Familia Michoacana, Gulf and United Cartels—and transnational gangs such as MS‑13, Barrio 18 and the Tren de Aragua. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control activated financial blocking mechanisms, freezing assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibiting transactions with anyone providing material support to these groups.

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala announced the update, noting that the designations also cover criminal structures in Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Haiti. According to the State Department, the measures aim to cut off funding for drug trafficking, extortion and violent activities, extending tools traditionally reserved for terrorist groups to organized crime.

The move gives U.S. authorities broader authority to pursue financial investigations and legal actions against members and supporters of the listed organizations, with the stated goal of reducing regional insecurity.