US designates Juárez Cartel Los Viagras terrorist groups

The United States has formally designated two major Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, a move that significantly escalates the legal and financial tools available to combat their operations. The U.S. State Department announced on Thursday, July 16, 2026, that the Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras are now classified as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The official designation was published in the Federal Register, the government's official journal.

This action freezes any property or financial interests the groups hold within the United States and broadly prohibits American citizens and entities from any transactions with them. The goal is to isolate the organizations financially, deny them access to the U.S. financial system, and disrupt the revenue streams that fund their activities. The State Department stated the designations are intended to support ongoing law enforcement efforts by U.S. agencies and foreign governments.

The Juárez Cartel, one of Mexico's oldest trafficking organizations, operates from Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, controlling key smuggling routes along the Texas and New Mexico border. The State...