# US-Mexico cartel security and financial cooperation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-mexico-cartel-security-and-financial-cooperation
> Updated: 2026-09-10T21:22:45.000Z. Sources: 21. Developments: 2.

The United States and Mexico have intensified their collaborative efforts to combat drug cartels, focusing on both financial disruption and security designations. At the CI-FIRST International Financial Crimes Forum, U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson advocated for dismantling the financial structures of criminal networks, arguing that targeting illicit money flows strikes the ‘heart’ of these organizations more effectively than seizing drugs or weapons.

This strategy, supported by the administrations of President Donald Trump and President Claudia Sheinbaum, involves real-time information exchange and tracking facilitators. Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit reported freezing over 24,000 accounts between 2024 and 2026 as part of these efforts.

Following these discussions, Ambassador Johnson further characterized the threat by comparing Mexican drug cartels to Al Qaeda during a September 11 commemoration ceremony. He stated that the cartels are terrorist threats that use violence and corruption to control communities, noting that President Trump has designated these groups as foreign terrorist organizations to reflect this status.

## Claims

- The world has changed since the September 11 attacks. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- President Donald Trump has designated drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Drug cartels are more than just trafficking organizations; they use violence and corruption to control communities. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The September 11 attacks resulted in 2,977 deaths. (single source)
- Two hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center in New York. (single source)
- A third plane struck the Pentagon in Washington. (single source)
- A fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to retake control. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-10: US Ambassador compares Mexican drug cartels to Al Qaeda

At a September 11 anniversary ceremony in Mexico, U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson equated drug cartels to Al Qaeda, citing their use of terror and President Trump's terrorist designation.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-ambassador-compares-drug-cartels-to-al-qaeda-during-911-commemorations

### 2026-09-02: US and Mexico target cartel finances through increased cooperation

U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson urged Mexico to target cartel finances at the CI-FIRST forum, arguing that cutting off money is more effective than seizing drugs or weapons to dismantle criminal networks.

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-ambassador-urges-mexico-to-target-cartel-financing

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Cite as: US-Mexico cartel security and financial cooperation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-mexico-cartel-security-and-financial-cooperation