Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has come out in strong opposition to the United States’ decision to designate drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), warning of potential legal action against American gun manufacturers and retailers as a consequence.

“The US Department of Justice has recognized that 74 percent of arms from criminal incidents are from the US. So, where does that leave the arms dealers? The lawyers are looking into this, they might be accomplices. This is one of the subjects we are looking at,” Sheinbaum said at a press conference on Friday, according to AZFamily.

Her comments come after President Donald Trump, on his first day back in office, signed an executive order officially classifying cartels as terrorist organizations. The designation could allow US authorities to impose harsher penalties, expand financial and travel restrictions, and even open the door to military action against cartel activities.

“There are multiple tools, criminal, administrative, financial. All those tools are available to federal, state, and local law enforcement against cartels,” said Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Lance Leising. “What this does is broadens the scope.”

The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reported that nearly 70 percent of firearms recovered in Mexico in 2023 were traced back to the US. In 2022, Mexico sued several American gun stores, including five in Arizona, accusing them of aiding the trafficking of weapons to drug organizations.

Despite the US government’s move, no cartels have yet been officially added to the Department of State’s list of FTOs. 

“What I think Mexico is saying is we would like to deal with these cartels as a partner with the US,” Leising said. “But designating them as Foreign Terrorist Organizations to Mexico seems to be a step against their sovereignty and a step too far.”