Although some politicians in the United States are hard and give it to the fact that the Mexican cartels are already named as terrorist groups (and more after what happened in Matamoros), those who know (that is, those who manage things in the White House) say it is not necessary.
“So they don’t want to fight them?” some will think. But it’s not that they don’t want to, it’s just that they classify them as such (terrorist groups), It really wouldn’t make any difference White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press conference.
“Look, designate these cartels as foreign terrorist groups. it wouldn’t give us any additional authority that we don’t really have at the momenteither”assured the spokesperson.
As Jean-Pierre explained, the United States government currently has several high-impact media with which to search for harm the Mexican cartels, as well as the people who help them in their work. In fact, some are already used (right, García Luna?).
That can be seen in this video (last question in the conference)
“We have not been afraid to use them”, assured the White House spokeswoman, giving as an example actions of economic type that are made from the Department of the Treasury of the United States. That is, attacks against the economic means of the Mexican cartels.
“We have taken steps that further allow Treasury to penalize foreigners (…) for what is derived from the profits from illicit drug trafficking activities”.
The foregoing, explained the White House spokeswoman, means that drug traffickers can no longer use family or friends to hide their assets from the eye of the United States government. In short, it is more difficult for them to use preseñambres.
“So, again, we don’t think this (naming the cartels as terrorist groups) gives us any additional authority. And that’s how we left it.” sentenced Karine Jean-Pierre.
Whatever the White House Says, the Proposal Keeps Moving Forward
The idea of going tougher against criminal organizations (as tough as terrorist groups) is not something that is just being considered in the United States. For months, the Republican faction in the House of Representatives has put on the table an initiative to make such a designation… and of course what happened in Matamoros has paid for it to continue advancing.
However, not only on the Republican side. About the topic, State Department spokesman Ned Price was questioned and this, contrary to what was said in the White House, commented that the idea has not been ruled out.
Although, like Karine Jean-Pierre, he pointed out that there are already measures that try to punish the cartels more rigorously, in Washington each tool provided for in the law is analyzed to give them harder… Of course, everything in coordination with the Mexican government.
Designating the Mexican cartels as terrorist groups would theoretically lead the US government to create special operations to combat them. In addition to allocating more resources to the cause. Something that, at the local level, has already been done… although with not much impact.
