Overview

• The Washington Post reported that early this year the DEA proposed targeted killings of cartel leaders and strikes on drug labs and infrastructure inside Mexico after several cartels were labeled foreign terrorist organizations.
• Pentagon and other officials warned there was no congressional authorization for military force against cartels and cautioned that U.S. citizens could be killed in such operations.
• The White House did not adopt the proposals, and no attacks have been conducted on Mexican territory.
• Even as those plans stalled, the administration this month carried out lethal actions against suspected drug boats in the Caribbean, drawing objections from Caracas and highlighting a focus on maritime interdiction.
• Then–acting DEA chief Derek S. Maltz voiced support for hitting cartel targets, while the agency—now led by Terrance C. Cole—declined specifics and emphasized operating within the law as Mexico under President Claudia Sheinbaum asserts a strict sovereignty stance.