The U.S. government has designated the Colombian Gulf Clan as a foreign terrorist organization. This was announced on Tuesday by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "Today, the Department of State designates the Gulf Clan as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT)," Rubio stated in a communiqué. According to the head of U.S. diplomacy, this "violent and powerful criminal organization with thousands of members" has "cocaine trafficking as its main source of income, which it uses to finance its violent activities." The Gulf Clan is "responsible for terrorist attacks against public officials, law enforcement, military personnel, and civilians in Colombia," Rubio added, noting that the group is currently in the midst of peace talks with the government of the South American country's president, Gustavo Petro. "We are committed to denying these terrorists financing and resources," the Secretary of State concluded. This designation comes at a tense moment in U.S.-Colombia relations, following the extensive U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean as part of President Donald Trump's anti-drug campaign, which has also been expanded to the Eastern Pacific, and the exchange of criticism between Petro and Trump.
