US designates Juarez Cartel, Los Viagras as terrorist groups; vows accountability

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson celebrated the designation of the Juarez Cartel and Los Viagras as foreign terrorist organizations, stating that these groups, and anyone who finances, supports, or collaborates with them, will be held accountable. He emphasized that these actions reaffirm President Donald Trump's commitment to dismantling narcoterrorist organizations and their support networks.

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These groups, and anyone who finances, supports, or collaborates with them or any other cartel, will be held accountable.

"Together with Mexico, we are dismantling drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and other illicit activities that threaten our two nations," Johnson added. The U.S. State Department officially designated these two criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations and globally specially designated terrorists.

The State Department highlighted that the Juarez Cartel and Los Viagras are violent narcoterrorist cartels responsible for numerous attacks against Americans, Mexican security forces, and civilians. This includes the 2019 massacre in Sonora, where nine U.S. citizens were killed by sicarios of La Línea, the dominant faction of the Juarez Cartel.

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Together with Mexico, we are dismantling drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and other illicit activities that threaten our two nations.

"The Trump Administration will continue to use all resources at its disposal to protect our nation, keeping our streets free of poison and disrupting the funding sources of violent narcoterrorists," the State Department stated. These designations aim to expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources needed to carry out attacks.

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The Trump Administration will continue to use all resources at its disposal to protect our nation, keeping our streets free of poison and disrupting the funding sources of violent narcoterrorists.