Official announcements from the U.S. Department of State or other relevant government agencies

Marco Rubio Considers Military Action and Terrorist Designation for Mexican Cartels, Advocates Cooperation with Mexico

Jan 15, 2025, 10:46 PM

Marco Rubio, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as Secretary of State, has stated that designating Mexican drug cartels as transnational terrorist organizations and considering military action against them are options under consideration. Rubio emphasized the need for cooperation with the Mexican government to combat these groups, which he described as 'terrorizing' both countries. During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio acknowledged that the cartels are 'sophisticated enterprises' involved in human trafficking, drug trafficking, and migrant smuggling. He described the potential designation of cartels as terrorist organizations as an 'imperfect tool' but did not rule it out, highlighting the cartels' operational control over large swathes of the U.S.-Mexico border. Rubio also noted the impact of cartel violence on the Mexican political process, mentioning the assassination of candidates and journalists.