Sheinbaum opposes Argentina's cartel terrorist designations

Reporting and context

President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected Argentina's designation of the Sinaloa Cartel and La Nueva Familia Michoacana as terrorist organizations, warning that the label must not become a pretext for foreign intervention in Mexico, according to ZETA Tijuana.

Speaking in Mexico City on November 3, 2026, Sheinbaum argued that terrorism is a different category from organized crime. She said her government combats organized crime daily and linked her objections to the defense of national sovereignty.

ZETA Tijuana reported that she cited her government's amendment to Article 40 of Mexico's Constitution as an express restriction on foreign intervention. She said the designation could not serve as justification for an invasion or interference by another country.

The outlet traced the dispute to Argentina's October 21 announcement designating five organizations as terrorist groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel and La Nueva Familia Michoacana. Argentina added them to its register of entities linked to terrorist acts and their financing, the report said.

In the resolution described by ZETA, Argentine authorities characterized the organizations as actual or potential external threats to national security because of their operational capacity, regional expansion and transnational illicit activities. The report also noted that Javier Milei's administration had designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as a terrorist organization in March 2026.

Original reporting: ZETA Tijuana.