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The American administration has formally classified the Gulf Clan, Colombia's largest and most powerful criminal organization, as a terrorist entity.

This notorious drug-trafficking militia, with origins in right-wing paramilitary forces, is present in at least 20 of Colombia's provinces.

It monopolizes key human and narcotics trafficking routes through the notorious Darién Gap and has fought leftist rebels for control of criminal networks along the shared border.

Political Posturing

In recent years, the group has sought to rebrand itself as a political movement, akin to other Colombian rebel groups.

This maneuver could secure it different terms in any potential negotiations. However, it is not widely considered to have genuine political objectives.

Official US Stance

In a Tuesday's statement, the US secretary of state labeled the Gulf Clan—which calls itself 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 violent activities."

Wider Implications

While other Colombian armed factions have been designated as terror entities before, this decision is the first under the present US government.

This government has already designated six cartels in Mexico and two in Venezuela.

Escalating Tensions

The decision is set to worsen tensions between the US and Colombia's president, who strongly opposes the US policy against Venezuela.

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

The two leaders have exchanged sharp words for weeks. After implying that any narcotics-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 retorted by warning his US counterpart to "not wake the jaguar" with militaristic threats.

Narco-Trafficking as Pretext

The US has cited its war on drugs to justify the strikes on boats it claims are transporting illicit cargo.

The Colombian president has labeled these operations as "unlawful killing." Recently, the US military stated it had conducted further attacks on three vessels near Colombia's Pacific coast, leading to eight fatalities.

Previous Designations

Other Colombian criminal organisations have been on the US foreign terrorist organisations list for years.

• This encompasses the National Liberation Army (ELN).
• It also covers breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) that resumed fighting after the landmark peace agreement.

Failed Weakening Attempts

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

Instead, the group initiated a wave of violence, killing police officers and local leaders and holding large swaths of the country hostage.

A Major Hurdle

The Gulf Clan is now engaged in stalled 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.