Argentina has officially designated five Latin American criminal and guerrilla organizations as terrorist groups, aligning its security policies more closely with those of the United States. The decision was announced by President Javier Milei’s administration and published in the country’s official gazette on October 27.

The newly listed organizations include Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, widely recognized as a major transnational drug trafficking network, as well as the Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel from Mexico and Ecuador’s Los Tiguerones gang. These groups had already been included in the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations. Argentina’s move follows the expansion of that list by the U.S. government under former President Donald Trump last month, which increased the number of Latin American criminal groups designated as terrorist entities to 21.

In addition to the drug trafficking organizations, Argentina designated two Colombian insurgent groups: the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional, ELN) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP). These groups have long been involved in armed conflict in Colombia and were previously identified as foreign terrorist organizations by the United States. The FARC-EP designation specifically targets dissident factions that rejected a peace accord signed around ten years ago and continue their armed activities.

According to a statement from President Milei’s office, the five groups are linked to drug trafficking and organized crime. The Sinaloa cartel was described as engaging in both drug trafficking and kidnappings for ransom on a transnational scale. The ELN and FARC-EP were characterized as far-left insurgent groups motivated by Marxist-Leninist ideology, maintaining armed revolutionary aims.

This measure reflects Argentina’s increased focus on combating illicit drug networks and armed insurgencies that affect regional security. By aligning itself with the United States’ counterterrorism efforts in Latin America, the Argentine government aims to strengthen its stance against entities it deems responsible for sustaining violence and criminal activity across national borders.