Meet the Cartels: Here's What We're Up Against

Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated eight cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) in a February 6 Department of State declaration. His action was responsive to President Trump’s executive order on January 20, which set the framework for designating cartels and other organizations as FTOs. The January 20 E.O. is one of several orders Trump has signed to address cartel activity and stem the flow of illegal aliens and illicit drugs at the southern border.

The cartels named in Rubio’s declaration are Tren de Aragua, Mara Salvatrucha, Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, Carteles Unidos, Cartel del Noreste, Cartel del Golfo, and La Nueva Familia Michoacana. These are some of the most brutal organizations operating in the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. All have intricate international networks that participate in the lucrative businesses of extortion, drug- and human-smuggling, organ-harvesting, money-laundering, and human-trafficking.

Rubio referenced section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) as the basis for the designation. Per the INA, the secretary is authorized to designate as an FTO if the secretary finds that

the organization is a foreign organization.
the organization engages in terrorist activity.
the terrorist activity threatens the security of Americans or the United States.

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

The designation sets a precedent for further U.S. actions aimed at dismantling cartel operations and reducing their activity in the U.S. and abroad. The designation also allows the United States to use legal tools to counteract cartel activity. Those legal tools include the freezing of assets, travel bans, and more muscular international cooperation.

RE: What is the difference between human trafficking and human smuggling?

Human trafficking involves exploiting people for forced labor, sexual exploitation, or involuntary servitude. It often involves coercion, deception, and abuse of power, and the victims rarely consent.

Human smuggling, on the other hand, is the illegal transportation of people across international borders, typically with their consent.

The key differences are the element of exploitation in trafficking and the consent of those being smuggled.

One of the big stories about the Jalisco New Generation Cartel that has developed recent on a number of podcasts is the military part of this Cartel is being run by 4 Former US Special Forces members.

1 Army Green Beret who advanced to Delta Force
2 US Navy Seals
1 member of the 75th Ranger Regiment.

And the military wing is staffed by former Special Forces soldiers from Mexico and other Latin American Countries.

The point being, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel is not filled with a bunch of drunk Mexicans but professional soldiers with a lot of US training.

Here is one of the video, at around the 7 minute mark they discuss the situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0zodTDx2nM&t=609s

Here are couple of other videos of former US Special Forces soldiers talking about if this is true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye74DXxXGSs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO_JHhwcDLo&t=478s

I don’t know if these allegations are true, the financial incentive is certainly there and many people believe that it is true, check it out and make your own mind up about it.

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