The US government toughened its stance against transnational organised crime. In a memorandum issued on 6 February, the Attorney General’s Office ordered the ‘total elimination’ of cartels and criminal groups operating in its territory.
The measure, promoted by President Donald Trump, seeks to reinforce the security strategy and contemplates organisations such as the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco Cartel New Generation, La Mara Salvatrucha and the Aragua Train.
The US Attorney General's office issues memorandum calling for the "total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations."
— Ioan Grillo (@ioangrillo) February 6, 2025
I agree with hitting cartels hard, but I'm wary of such absolutist language. "Total elimination of cartels" sounds like an impossible task. pic.twitter.com/u5Y9rFTquZ
Mexico defends its sovereignty and demands shared responsibility
Faced with the US directive, President Claudia Sheinbaum questioned the role of the US government in the fight against drug trafficking. She pointed out that the problem lies not only in the production and trafficking of drugs from Mexico, but also in their distribution within the United States.
‘There are no cartels there, or organised crime there, who distributes the drugs in US cities, who keeps the money from the sale,’ she said.
Sheinbaum reaffirmed Mexico‘s willingness to coordinate in the fight against organised crime, but stressed that this does not imply subordination. ‘We will always defend sovereignty,’ she warned.
Tension in the bilateral relationship
The US Attorney’s Office memo also instructs the National Security Division and the Organised Crime Section to standardise the language prosecutors will use in indictments and search warrants. In addition, Border Czar-designate Tom Homan warned that his country will not hesitate to use military force against cartels.
Sheinbaum, in response, asked to wait to know the real scope of the document, while reiterating that Mexico will not accept impositions on security.
