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The US government has officially designated the Gulf Clan, the nation's largest and most powerful criminal group, as a foreign terrorist organization.

This notorious narcotics-smuggling militia, with origins in far-right armed groups, operates in at least 20 of Colombia's departments.

It monopolizes key human and narcotics trafficking routes through the treacherous Darién Gap and has clashed leftwing rebels for control of illicit operations along the Venezuelan border.

Political Posturing

In recent years, the group has tried to portray itself as a political movement, similar to other Colombian insurgent factions.

This maneuver could secure it different conditions in any potential peace talks. However, it is not widely considered to have concrete political aims.

US Government Statement

In a Tuesday's announcement, the US secretary of state described the Gulf Clan—which goes by the name the Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AGC)—as a "violent and powerful criminal organisation."

He stated it has "a membership in the thousands" and that its "main revenue stream is cocaine trafficking, which it uses to fund its brutal campaigns."

Broader Context

While other Colombian criminal groups have been listed as terror entities before, this designation is the first under the present US government.

This administration has already designated multiple syndicates in Mexico and two in Venezuela.

Escalating Tensions

The action is likely to exacerbate tensions between the US and Colombia's president, who has vocally criticized the US policy against Venezuela.

This includes lethal military strikes on vessels that have reportedly killed numerous people in Pacific and Caribbean waters.

The two leaders have traded public barbs for weeks. After warning that any drug-producing country was a potential target, the US president singled out Colombia, stating the Colombian leader "is going to have himself some big problems if he doesn't wise up."

The Colombian president responded by cautioning his US counterpart to "avoid provoking a strong response" with militaristic threats.

Narco-Trafficking as Pretext

The US has cited its anti-narcotics campaign to justify the maritime attacks it alleges are ferrying drug shipments.

The Colombian president has described these attacks as "murder." Recently, the US military announced it had conducted further attacks on three vessels near Colombia's Pacific coast, resulting in eight fatalities.

Other Listed Groups

Other Colombian armed groups have been on the US foreign terrorist organisations list for a long time.

• This encompasses the National Liberation Army (ELN).
• It also includes breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) that took up arms again after the landmark peace agreement.

Unsuccessful Strategies

Some Colombian officials had believed the Gulf Clan might be weakened by the capture and extradition of its top commander to the US in 2022.

Instead, the group unleashed a wave of violence, killing police officers and local leaders and keeping vast areas of the country in a state of fear.

Obstacle to Peace

The Gulf Clan is now engaged in halting talks with the government. It is considered the primary barrier to the president's stumbling "total peace" plan, which aims to end the country's complex armed conflict.