Part 6/9:
The U.S. government officially classifies groups like MS-13 as violent criminal gangs rather than terrorist organizations. But the question remains whether their capacity for terror and intimidation warrants reclassification under broader definitions.
Distinguishing Drug Cartels from Terrorist Groups
The discussion often distinguishes drug cartels such as CJNG (Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación) and Sinaloa from groups labeled as terrorists. Though cartels engage in violence, their primary motivation is profit, and their strategic aims are economic rather than political or ideological.
However, some argue that if these cartels explicitly adopt ideological narratives or seek to influence political systems to ensure their operations, the line begins to blur.