• US designates the Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras as foreign terrorist organizations.
• This brings the number of Mexican cartels recognized as terrorist groups to eight.
• The designation allows for more aggressive US actions against these criminal networks.
• Los Viagras has been implicated in drug trafficking and violent extortion tactics.
• These actions are part of a broader strategy amid growing scrutiny on Mexican officials.

The U.S. government has officially designated two Mexican drug cartels, the Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras, as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs), marking a significant expansion of terrorism-related sanctions and legal penalties against these criminal entities. This designation, which was published in the Federal Register, allows U.S. authorities to freeze assets and block financial transactions linked to these groups. The move highlights Secretary of State Marco Rubio's declaration that both cartels either have committed terrorist acts or pose serious risks to U.S. national security, foreign policy, or economy, according to India Times, Los Angeles Times, and CBS News.

With this latest announcement, the number of Mexican criminal organizations designated by the Trump administration as terrorist groups has risen to eight, adding to the well-known Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The expansion of this list, which also includes criminal networks from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil, indicates a broader strategy to combat drug trafficking across Latin America. The heightened designation also comes as U.S. military operations in the region have reportedly resulted in numerous fatalities linked to drug trafficking activities, according to India Times and Los Angeles Times.

The Juárez Cartel, one of the oldest drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, has maintained control of the highly trafficked Ciudad Juárez corridor, directly across from El Paso, Texas. Founded by Amado Carrillo Fuentes, who gained notoriety for his extensive drug-running operations, the cartel has continued to thrive despite the arrests of its leaders. It was recently noted that the organization has been involved in violent incidents, including the infamous 2019 murders of nine American family members, underscoring its significance and threat level, according to Los Angeles Times and CBS News.

Los Viagras emerged in Michoacán after local farmers organized to push back against established cartels in the region. Under the leadership of Nicolás Sierra Santana, the cartel has been reportedly engaged in production and trafficking of synthetic drugs as well as extortion of local businesses. The U.S. State Department has placed a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Sierra Santana's arrest, reflecting the urgency in dismantling his organization and its operations. These circumstances contribute to intensifying pressure on the Mexican government under President Claudia Sheinbaum, especially following the indictment of officials for alleged ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, according to India Times, Los Angeles Times, and CBS News.