The administration of President Donald Trump has initiated a sweeping crackdown on transnational criminal organizations, designating eight powerful gangs with roots in Latin America and Mexico as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). This move, part of Trump’s executive order to curb drug and human trafficking at international borders, marks a significant escalation in U.S. policy on transnational crime.
The White House has alerted several congressional committees about the impending designations, which were ordered by President Trump and executed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Over a two-week period, the State Department will finalize the classifications, subjecting these organizations to extensive economic sanctions and counterterrorism measures aimed at dismantling their networks.
The targeted groups are notorious for their involvement in drug trafficking, human smuggling, and violent crime. Among them are the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, the Salvadoran gang MS-13, and Colombia’s Gulf Clan, also known as “Los Urabeños” or the “Ejército Gaitanista de Colombia.” The U.S. government views these groups as a national security threat that extends beyond traditional organized crime, warranting the use of counterterrorism tools to disrupt their operations.
The State Department’s list also includes some of the most powerful drug cartels in the Western Hemisphere: Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), the Northeast Cartel, the Michoacán Family, and the United Cartels. The Gulf Clan’s inclusion is particularly significant given its direct involvement in the Darien Gap, a treacherous stretch of rainforest between Colombia and Panama that serves as a major migration corridor. Tens of thousands of migrants from around the world attempt to traverse this perilous route each year en route to the United States.
Under the leadership of brothers Dairo Antonio and Juan de Dios Úsuga, known by their aliases ‘Otoniel’ and ‘Giovanni,’ the Gulf Clan has consolidated control over vast portions of Colombia’s narcotics trade. Formed after the demobilization of paramilitary groups in the early 2000s, the cartel has established strong ties with Mexican criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG, ensuring a steady flow of cocaine and human trafficking operations reaching the U.S.
It is estimated that between 30% and 50% of the cocaine entering the U.S. originates in Colombia, with the Gulf Clan playing a key role in the supply chain. Beyond drug trafficking, the cartel has expanded into human smuggling. Migrants from countries including Venezuela, Haiti, China, and parts of Africa pay large sums to pass through the Darien Gap under the control of the Gulf Clan, enduring extreme conditions and exploitation along the way.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s “total peace” agenda has largely failed to curb the Gulf Clan’s influence in the Darien Gap. The cartel has recently escalated attacks against the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla in Chocó, forcing the displacement of approximately 3,000 civilians. The ongoing territorial conflicts highlight the challenges Petro faces in controlling the expansion of armed groups.
The executive order, signed on January 20, grants Secretary of State Marco Rubio the authority to designate these criminal groups as terrorist organizations, allowing the U.S. to deploy counterterrorism measures against them. These include economic sanctions, military operations, and transnational law enforcement efforts designed to dismantle the cartels’ extensive operations.
The broader ramifications of these designations extend beyond criminal justice. The move is expected to strain relations with Latin American governments, some of which may view the U.S. intervention as an overreach into regional affairs. However, proponents argue that the U.S. must act decisively against these transnational gangs, which fuel violence in Colombia and exacerbate suffering among the country’s most vulnerable populations.
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