Rubio designates eight cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) in response to Trump’s January 20 executive order

Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated eight cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations ( FTO ) Rubio referenced section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) as the basis for the designation.

These organizations engage in activities that can be legally defined as terrorism, including “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets”.

CJNG is known for its highly organized smuggling operations, employing sophisticated techniques for drug transportation.

CNJG is often involved in turf wars with rival cartels like Sinaloa and Los Zetas .

Cartel del Golfo is one of the oldest cartels in Mexico , active mainly in Tamaulipas , especially in Matamoros and Reynosa .