Marco
Rubio, Secretary of State
July 16,
2026
Today, the U.S. Department of State is
designating the Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras as Foreign
Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated
Global Terrorists (SDGTs).
The Juárez Cartel and Los
Viagras are violent narco-terrorist cartels that have
committed numerous attacks against Americans, Mexican
security forces, and civilians, including the 2019 massacre
in Sonora of nine U.S. citizens – three adults and six
children – killed by hitmen from the Juárez Cartel’s
dominant faction La Línea.
The Trump Administration
will continue to use all available tools to protect our
nation by keeping poison off our streets and disrupting the
revenue streams funding violent narco-terrorists. Today’s
action taken by the State Department further demonstrates
that the Trump Administration continues to deliver on its
promises to the American people to dismantle narco-terrorist
cartels, make American communities safer, and secure the
border.
Terrorist designations expose and isolate
entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S.
financial system and the resources they need to carry out
attacks. As a result of actions taken today, all property
and interests in property of those designated today that are
in the United States or that are in possession or control of
a U.S. person are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally
prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
Moreover, designations can assist law enforcement actions of
other U.S. agencies and governments.
Today’s
actions are taken pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224. Foreign
Terrorist Organization designations go into effect upon
publication in the Federal
Register.
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