Democrat Senator Bob Menendez: Mexican Drug Cartels That Kill Americans Are Not Terrorist Organizations

Senator Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ), suggested in a Sunday interview, that Mexican drug cartels are not terrorist organizations, despite the fact that they are responsible for many American deaths each year.

Menendez made these remarks in an interview with NBC News. “Meet the Press” When asked about growing chatter among U.S. officials, they suggested it might be time to officially identify the cartels in Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

“Well, slapping a designation isn’t in and of itself going to change anything,” He said. “We should save that for truly terrorist organizations in the world. Certainly, they are consequential to questions of national security. I’m more interested in doing something that ultimately seeks to destroy the cartels than to just name them. You know, you name them a foreign terrorist organization, that in and of itself means nothing.”

WATCH:

Senator Bob Menendez, Democrat, won’t answer if he would vote to declare Mexican cartels foreign terrorist organisations. “We should save that for truly terrorist organizations in the world.” pic.twitter.com/X7ATqGuwu6

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 12, 2023

TRANSCRIPT:

CHUCK TODD How can we handle this with a Mexican government who may not be on the exact same page?

SEN. BOB MENENDEZ: It is one our great challenges. President López Obrador talked about, when he took office, about, “Kisses, not bullets.” This is not the best way to go. It is the cartels, and not the government of Mexico, that control the border communities. Mexico has a responsibility to its citizens and those visiting its country to ensure safety and security on its territory. We must increase our engagement with Mexico. It shouldn’t just be about economics. It must also be about safety, security, and the future. We are heading in the wrong direction in Mexico in this regard, and also on democracy questions. We must deal with this present danger. We have to engage with Mexicans in a way which says: “You’ve got to do a lot more on your security.” They can be helped. We have intelligence. We also have other information that we could share. However, we require them to enforce the laws in their country.

CHUCK TODD. Do you think designating the cartels a foreign terrorist organisation helps or hurts the ability to collaborate with the Mexican government

SEN. BOB MENENDEZ: Just because you have a name, it doesn’t mean that it will change anything. Now the question is, how do you take down cartels? How can you drain their cash? What can you do to take down their leadership? How can you get them out? How can you deny visas to Mexican government officials who are not participating in the criminal prosecution of cartels. These are just a few of the things you can do to make it seem like something is happening at the end.

CHUCK TODD: What would you vote for? It might come up for a vote. Would you consider voting to make these cartels terrorist organisations?

SEN. BOB MENENDEZ: That has a certain designation. That should be reserved for terrorist organizations around the globe. These are consequential to national security questions. I want to do something that actually destroys the cartels, not just to name them. It doesn’t matter if you call them terrorist organizations. Their leaders are eventually pursued. You put them in prison. Finally, you go after their money. It’s all gone. Finally, you go after those who should be enforcing law. You now have a real consequence.

“From Senator Bob Menendez, Democrat: Mexican Drug Cartels that Kill Americans are Not Terrorist Organizations“

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