The United States has designated eight organised criminal groups operating across the region as terrorist organisations. These are Tren de Aragua, MS-13, Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, United Cartels, Northeast Cartel, Gulf Cartel and the Michoac¨¢n Family.
Though the gangs have a long history of crimes in the US, including drugs, arms and human trafficking, it is unusual for the State Department to designate them as terrorist organisations, a designation normally reserved for groups like the Islamic State and al-Qaida.
It is also worthwhile to note that while all the eight organised criminal groups have their presence in the US and across Latin America, except MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, the other six are Mexican cartels.
MS-13 was founded in the US by Salvadorian immigrants, and Tren de Aragua is based in Venezuela.
Among the Mexican cartels, the most notable is the Sinaloa Cartel, Mexico¡¯s oldest criminal group, which was once led by Joaqu¨ªn "El Chapo" Guzm¨¢n.
Reacting to the US State Department designating them as terrorist organisations, President Donald Trump's right-hand man Elon Musk said that they can now be targeted with drone strikes.
Ever since Trump won the US Presidential election in November, there have been speculations that he could launch a cross-border military intervention in Mexico, something which he had also considered during his first term.
A member of the Trump transition team had also claimed that the question was "How much should we invade Mexico?".
On January 25, just five days after assuming office, Trump issued an executive order, designating Mexican cartels as "foreign terrorist organisations".
Trump also revealed that he would consider sending US special operations personnel to Mexico to combat drug cartels.
Trump's new national security adviser, Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret, has pushed the idea of using special operators to hit Mexican cartels across the border.
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