The New York Times reports that President Donald Trump signed a secret executive order authorizing the Pentagon to use direct military force against Latin American drug cartels designated as terrorist organizations.
This is an unprecedented escalation in the “war against drug trafficking”, which combines military, intelligence and legal tools to combat illicit trafficking.
Trump’s war against cartels
In January 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14157, with which cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, Tren de Aragua and MS-13 were declared as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and “specially designated terrorists”.
The signing of this order extended the legal powers to apply financial and judicial sanctions – but also opened the way for military operations outside U.S. territory.
Consequently, the new directive would allow military and intelligence forces, including naval or ground operations, to attack cartel infrastructure abroad without going through civilian agencies alone.
Mexico’s reaction: absolute limit to intervention
The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, categorically rejected any possibility of U.S. military intervention in Mexican territory, stating that there will only be collaboration, but never an invasion.
Apparently, Trump’s order gives an official basis for the military’s operations to be conducted at sea or on foreign soil against drug cartels.
In response, the Mexican president said she would communicate with the U.S. president to explain what it means for them to be able to operate on Aztec soil.
Why it matters to the Hispanic community
This directive changes the paradigm from dealing with crime as a criminal justice problem to considering it a terrorist threat, which broadens the spectrum of military intervention.
Many Hispanics have family or cultural ties to Mexico and Latin America; unilateral intervention may strain bilateral cooperation.
Some sectors fear that this approach will not address the structural causes of drug trafficking – such as inequality or corruption – and will also put civilians at risk or generate escalating violence.
Dicha orden de Trump pudiera causar el inicio de una peligrosa guerra y ataques en EEUU por parte del crimen organizado, como represalia ante la medida
Fear of what might happen
Buzzy
According to reports by the New York Times, Trump signed a secret order authorizing the Pentagon to launch military operations against Latin American cartels designated as terrorist organizations.
Although no concrete actions have yet been announced, the measure represents a radical shift in U.S. counter-narcotics policy, with local and international repercussions, especially in the U.S. and Mexico.
The U.S. Hispanic community should follow this issue closely, as it involves the intersection of security, sovereignty and cross-border justice.
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