Rubio Designates Three Guatemalan Gangs as Terrorists
The State Department imposed sanctions on Los Lorenzanas, Los Huistas, and Los Mendoza, citing their drug trafficking operations and ties to Mexican cartels.
By Nikolai Morales ·
Three Guatemalan gangs received federal terrorist designations on Friday as the U.S. government moves to freeze their assets and prosecute supporters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the actions, targeting groups the administration says finance violence through drug trafficking proceeds.
Los Lorenzanas is the only group named as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The other two, Los Huistas and Los Mendoza, were labeled Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Both designations subject the groups and their members to U.S. sanctions, including asset freezes within U.S. jurisdictions. The FTO label for Los Lorenzanas adds the authority to criminally prosecute anyone providing material support to the clan.
Rubio said the administration will use all available tools to keep illicit drugs off American streets and disrupt revenue streams funding what he called violent narcoterrorists. He stated the government will not stand by while these foreign terrorist organizations corrupt institutions in Guatemala.
Los Huistas operates in western Guatemala along the Mexican border. Guatemalan authorities accuse the group of maintaining ties with both the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Local politicians and businesspeople are known to support the gang, helping it operate with impunity. In the past year, Guatemala extradited one of its leaders, a man on the U.S. list of the 100 most wanted.
Los Lorenzanas is a family clan active in eastern and northern Guatemala near the Honduran border. Authorities say it is allied with the Sinaloa Cartel and engaged in drug trafficking. Los Mendoza is also a family clan with connections to Guatemalan politicians and government officials. Its operations focus on borders with Honduras and Belize, where it is known for violent land grabs.
