White House Rules out Designating Mexican Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

After the abduction of four Americans near the U.S. border that resulted in two deaths, the Biden administration ruled Wednesday out the designation of Mexican drug cartels foreign terrorist organisations.

“Designating these cartels as [foreign terrorist organizations] would not grant us any additional authorities that we don’t really have at this time,” Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary, stated in a news release briefing With reporters. “The United States has powerful sanctions authorities specifically designated to combat narcotics trafficking organizations and the individuals and entities that enable them. So, we have not been afraid to use them.”

Jean-Pierre said that the White House was in touch with American victims’ families after they were abducted or murdered in Mexico. This high-profile incident drew both the FBI’s attention and the top Mexican authorities.

In a Wednesday briefingJean-Pierre claimed that the Administration had reached out to the loved ones of the victims. However, he did not provide many details. The family members were not contacted by President Joe Biden.

“We will do everything in our power to identify, find, and hold accountable the individuals responsible for this attack, and we continue to work in coordination with the Mexican government,” She said. She added that the U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned Mexican individuals and firms in relation to drug trafficking and cartels over recent months.

Last month and October 2022, members of Sinaloa’s powerful cartel were sanctioned by the agency. They are accused of being involved in the Sinaloa methamphetamine- and fentanyl trading. Agency last week targeted According to a press release, Mexican businesses are linked to Jalisco’s New Generation Cartel (also known as CJNG), with new sanctions.

CJNG is available in some regions “become heavily engaged in timeshare fraud, which often targets U.S. citizens,” According to the department. “This crime, which can defraud victims of their life savings, results in another significant revenue stream for the cartel and strengthens its overall criminal enterprise. Today’s action exposes this CJNG scheme and also serves as a warning to potential victims, many of whom are elderly.”

Jean-Pierre responded to the Biden administration’s strategy against cartels in response to a violent incident in Matamoros (Mexico), which was just south of Brownsville. Texas. According to U.S. authorities and Mexican authorities, four Americans were taken and two were murdered after crossing the border to receive medical treatment.

This still is taken from a social media video. It shows a woman being carried on the back of a pickup truck. The image allegedly depicts the kidnapping of Americans at Matamoros (Mexico), March 3, 2023. Video taken by Reuters

After they were abducted by armed people, several U.S. departments, such as the FBI and State Department sent alerts. According to the governor of the region, their minivan was damaged and they were shot at shortly after crossing into Matamoros.

They were located Tuesday morning in a wooden shelter, guarded at all times by an unidentified man, near Matamoros. The shack is in an area called Ejido Tecolote, on the road to the gulf. “Bagdad Beach,” Irving Barrios, the chief state prosecutor of Texas, stated that Irving Barrios was correct.

On Tuesday, the survivors were taken back to the United States by Brownsville at the southern tip of Texas. It is just over the border from Matamoros. Mexican National Guard trucks equipped with machine guns and Humvees escorted the ambulance and SUV convoy.

One relative said that one of the victims had been traveling with the others from North Carolina so the other could have tummy tuck surgery at a Matamoros doctor.

Eric Williams had been wounded in an accident and was being treated by his governor. “It’s quite a relief,” Robert Williams, Eric’s father at 38 years old, said this. “I look forward to seeing him again and actually being able to talk to him.” Williams stated that he wasn’t sure whether Latavia Burgess was the survivor who sought the surgery.

Zindell, a relative of the victim, expressed concern about the possibility of going to Mexico. Brown told others repeatedly that “we shouldn’t go down,” His sister told Information outlets

This was a report by the Associated Press.

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