United States Designates Colombia’s Biggest Drug Cartel as Terrorists
Washington: The United States announced Tuesday that it has designated Colombia’s largest drug trafficking gang, Clan del Golfo, as terrorist and that the group has begun talks with the country’s left-wing government.
The move comes after President Donald Trump’s administration controversially launched at-sea strikes against alleged drug traffickers on boats around Venezuela.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States has designated Clan del Golfo as a foreign terrorist organization and specifically designated global terrorists and criminalized any U.S. support for them.
“The United States will continue to use all available tools to protect our nation and stop campaigns of violence and terror by international cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” Rubio said in a statement. he said.
“We are determined to refuse to provide funding and resources to these terrorists.”
Clan del Golfo has its origins in right-wing paramilitary organisations. According to Colombian military intelligence, the company is responsible for transporting hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States and Europe each year.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the first left-wing leader of a US ally, has been trying to negotiate with armed groups since his election in 2022.
His government and Clan del Golfo held new talks in Qatar earlier this month and agreed to advance negotiations.
The Trump administration has tried to weaken the Petro; This includes personally imposing US sanctions. Rubio publicly called Petro “crazy.”
Earlier this year, Petro became a rare foreign leader who openly challenged Trump’s core goal of deporting immigrants.
