Donald Trump returned to the US presidency on January 20 with a flurry of executive orders. This included the designation of criminal gangs and drug cartels operating south of the Mexico border as “foreign terrorist organisations” – a first for a US president. The state department will now decide which groups are added to the list.

Isolating U.S. companies from cartel activities could be almost impossible given that the criminal groups operate in sectors like agriculture and tourism, leaving some American businesses vulnerable to sanctions.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order saying the United States will designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, a move that could push a militarized agenda for the border

The incoming administration wants to try the move again, potentially opening up military operations against the groups.

Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum said that Donald Trump’s decision to classify drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations won’t reduce crime, urging the new US president to work with her nation on security and drug prevention instead.

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday said that U.S. President Donald Trump's decree earlier this week that drug cartels based in the country are terrorist groups "won't help,

M ore than any other country, Donald Trump went after Mexico on his first day in office. He ordered its criminal gangs to be designated as foreign terrorist organisations (FTOs),