US Designates Clan del Golfo as Terrorist Group Amid Colombian Peace Talks

The administration of President Donald Trump formally designated Colombia's largest criminal syndicate, the Clan del Golfo, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on December 16, 2025. This designation imposes strict financial penalties and asset freezes on any individual or entity providing material or logistical support to the group, signaling a firm security posture from Washington.

The timing of the U.S. action is politically sensitive, occurring shortly after the Colombian Government, led by President Gustavo Petro, initiated peace dialogues with the self-proclaimed Ejército Gaitanista de Colombia (EGC) in Doha, Qatar, in September 2025. The peace process, mediated by Norway, Spain, and Switzerland, reached a significant stage with a second agreement signed on December 5, 2025, intended to establish a foundation for lasting peace. The Clan del Golfo, also known as the Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC), is estimated to command approximately 9,000 members engaged in illicit economies, primarily cocaine trafficking and illegal mining.

The organization is recognized as an heir to the demobilized United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) and currently functions as the nation's dominant illegal armed group, maintaining control in over 200 municipalities. The U.S. action, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is based on Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224. This geopolitical move places President Petro's "total peace" policy at a complex juncture, creating immediate tension between Bogotá's diplomatic efforts and Washington's security priorities as the 2026 electoral cycle approaches.

Elizabeth Dickinson of the International Crisis Group noted that the FTO qualification does not authorize the use of U.S. military force, stressing that protecting civilians through a negotiated strategy should remain paramount. Government negotiator Álvaro Jiménez stated that President Petro must thoroughly assess the legal and political consequences before determining the continuation of talks with the EGC, while acknowledging Colombia's history of dialogue with U.S.-designated entities. Experts suggest the timing was detrimental; Viviana García Pinzón of the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute noted the measure arrived following the December 5th agreement, warning that while fentanyl concerns might motivate the Trump administration, the Clan del Golfo's primary revenue remains cocaine, potentially leading to a renewed war on drugs with human rights implications.

Christian Chacón Herrera of the Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano interpreted the designation as direct pressure from the State Department, serving as a political signal to Petro's domestic opposition, and expressed doubt that the listing would halt the group's illegal activities. The broader context involves the Trump Administration's National Security Strategy, which elevates the Western Hemisphere under the "Trump Corollary" of the Monroe Doctrine, prioritizing hemispheric control to counter migration, transnational crime, and foreign influence. The Clan del Golfo's extensive international operations, reportedly spanning at least 28 countries and including alliances with groups like the Sinaloa Cartel, make it a direct focus of this renewed U.S. strategy to secure supply chains and borders in the Americas. The EGC had previously agreed to begin assembling combatants in three defined zones starting March 1, 2026, a timeline now potentially complicated by the FTO listing.