US designates Mexico's Juarez Cartel and Los Viagras as terrorist organizations

The United States has officially designated the Juarez Cartel and Los Viagras, both prominent criminal organizations in Mexico, as foreign terrorist organizations. This move, announced by the State Department, grants U.S. security forces expanded authority in their ongoing offensive against organized crime across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The designation is a significant escalation, particularly in light of the 2019 massacre of nine American citizens in Sonora. The victims, three adults and six children, were killed by the La Línea faction, which is the dominant group within the Juarez Cartel. This brutal attack deeply shocked communities on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

This action builds on previous designations made by the U.S. government, which has increasingly focused on combating transnational cartels. In February 2025, the administration designated several other major cartels, including Sinaloa, Jalisco Nueva Generación, and Gulf Cartel, as terrorist organizations. Similar measures have been applied to Colombian guerrilla groups and criminal organizations in Venezuela and Brazil.

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The Juarez Cartel and Los Viagras are violent narco-terrorist cartels that have perpetrated numerous attacks against Americans, Mexican security forces, and civilians, including the 2019 massacre in Sonora of nine U.S. citizens, three adults and six children, killed by sicarios of La Línea, the dominant faction of the Juarez Cartel.

The State Department emphasized that these designations "expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks." The "narco-terrorist" label also potentially broadens the scope for U.S. operations, including direct action against cartel leaders, a tactic historically used against groups like Al-Qaeda.

However, the amalgamation of drug trafficking and terrorism faces legal scrutiny from jurists and international organizations. Mexico officially opposes U.S. intervention on its territory, highlighting the complex geopolitical dynamics surrounding these designations.

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Terrorist designations expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks.