The United States has designated a notorious drug-trafficking organisation in Colombia as a terrorist group. The US Treasury Department added the group, known as Clan del Golfo or Gulf Clan, to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs). The designation came just hours after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order classifying the drug fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.
The two moves are seen as a further ramping-up of the Trump administration's war on drugs, which has also seen it carry out more than 20 lethal strikes on boats suspected to be carrying drugs in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Clan del Golfo is the latest Latin American criminal group to be added to the US Treasury's list of FTOs. Engaging in criminal activities for decades, the group mainly traffics cocaine from Colombia - the largest producer of the drug - to destinations in the US and Europe. It is also involved in migrant smuggling and has been responsible for attacks against various authorities in Colombia.
The US designation complicates ongoing peace talks initiated by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, aimed at disarming the Gulf Clan and fostering stability in violence-prone regions. President Petro has previously criticized US military actions as excessive and counterproductive, whereas U.S. officials claim their operations aim to prevent fentanyl from entering the American market, addressing the nation's opioid crisis. However, the move to designate Clan del Golfo as a terrorist organization raises questions about the impact on local negotiations and the broader context of U.S.-Colombia relations.
The two moves are seen as a further ramping-up of the Trump administration's war on drugs, which has also seen it carry out more than 20 lethal strikes on boats suspected to be carrying drugs in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Clan del Golfo is the latest Latin American criminal group to be added to the US Treasury's list of FTOs. Engaging in criminal activities for decades, the group mainly traffics cocaine from Colombia - the largest producer of the drug - to destinations in the US and Europe. It is also involved in migrant smuggling and has been responsible for attacks against various authorities in Colombia.
The US designation complicates ongoing peace talks initiated by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, aimed at disarming the Gulf Clan and fostering stability in violence-prone regions. President Petro has previously criticized US military actions as excessive and counterproductive, whereas U.S. officials claim their operations aim to prevent fentanyl from entering the American market, addressing the nation's opioid crisis. However, the move to designate Clan del Golfo as a terrorist organization raises questions about the impact on local negotiations and the broader context of U.S.-Colombia relations.
