Declaring Mexican Drug Cartels as Terrorist Groups Would Have Little Benefit, White House Says

Amid news of the deadly kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico, there were some suggestions floated by Republican lawmakers to label Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups.

However, the White House argued on Wednesday that doing so would only have "minimal benefits" for the government, adding that it would not grant the United States "any additional authorities that we don't really have at this time," according to Border Report.

Karine Jean-Pierre, press secretary of the White House, noted that the U.S. has powerful sanctions specifically designed to fight narcotics trafficking organizations, such as Mexican drug cartels.

U.S. Sanctions on Mexican Drug Cartels

In January, the United States announced sanctions on an international operator for the Sinaloa drug Cartel.

The Associated Press reported that the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control blocked the U.S. properties of Jose Angel Rivera Zazueta and two more involved men.

Rivera Zazueta's network "operates on a global scale," especially in countries including the U.S., Mexico, South and Central America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

It was reported that the Sinaloa Cartel operator worked with a Chinese chemical transportation company, Shanghai Fast-Fine Chemicals, involved with shipping falsely labeled precursor chemicals to Mexican drug cartels.

Rivera Zazueta's associates, namely Nelton Santiso Aguila and Guatemalan national Jason Antonio Yang Lopez, were also sanctioned.

In a more recent occurrence, the U.S. has been more concerned about the current administration's strategies after the violent incident involving four Americans.

The four Americans crossed the border for a medical procedure. Armed men then kidnapped them on their way to Mexico.

Two of the four Americans were found dead on Tuesday, while two others arrived back in the United States on the same day. The surviving victims started receiving medical treatment.

Since then, Republicans have called for tougher measures against Mexican drug cartels.

Mexican Drug Cartels Involved in Kidnapping of Americans

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in a statement that the four were traveling in a white minivan with a North Carolina license plate.

The AP reported that the bureau offered a $50,000 reward for the victims' return and the kidnappers' arrest.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday that suspects were detained after a confrontation but did not offer additional details.

Gulf Cartel was the group that was linked to the kidnapping of Americans. The group has controlled the area of Matamoros since the 1930s.

Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera told New York Post that the Gulf Cartel had been involved in extortion, kidnapping, and protection money.

Correa-Cabrera wrote the book "Los Zetas Inc: Criminal Corporations, Energy and Civil War in Mexico." Some other Mexican drug cartels, like Jalisco Cartel, are also involved in kidnapping as a side activity.

The Jalisco Cartel kidnapped a Mexican colonel in 2022. The official was on vacation at the time, which happened to be the cartel's home base.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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