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The United States has officially designated the Gulf Clan, the nation's most dominant and formidable illegal armed organization, as a foreign terrorist organization.

This notorious narcotics-smuggling militia, with origins in far-right paramilitary forces, is present in at least 20 of Colombia's departments.

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

Political Posturing

In the past few years, the group has attempted to present itself as a political movement, like other Colombian rebel groups.

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

Official US Stance

In a recent announcement, the US secretary of state labeled the Gulf Clan—which calls itself the Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AGC)—as a "brutal and influential criminal organisation."

He emphasized it has "thousands of members" and that its "primary source of income is cocaine trafficking, which it uses to fund its brutal campaigns."

Wider Implications

While other Colombian armed factions have been listed as terrorist groups before, this decision is the first under the current administration.

This administration has previously targeted six cartels in Mexico and two in Venezuela.

Escalating Tensions

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

This encompasses deadly airstrikes on vessels that have allegedly killed scores of people in Pacific and Caribbean waters.

The two leaders have traded public barbs for several weeks. After implying that any narcotics-producing country was a possible focus, the US president singled out Colombia, stating the Colombian leader "is going to have significant difficulties if he doesn't change course."

The Colombian president responded by warning his US counterpart to "not wake the jaguar" with militaristic threats.

The "War on Drugs" Justification

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

The Colombian president has described these attacks as "murder." Early on Tuesday, the US military announced it had carried out new strikes on three vessels near Colombia's Pacific coast, leading to eight fatalities.

Other Listed Groups

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

• This includes 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.

Failed Weakening Attempts

Some authorities in Colombia had hoped the Gulf Clan might be weakened by the capture and extradition of its main leader to the US in 2022.

On the contrary, the group unleashed a campaign of terror, killing police officers and local leaders and keeping vast areas of the country in a state of fear.

A Major Hurdle

The Gulf Clan is now involved in halting talks with the government. It is seen as the key impediment to the president's struggling "comprehensive peace" plan, which aims to end the country's many-sided armed conflict.