Treasury sanctions Guatemalan DTOs tied to Mexican cartels

What happened

On November 13, 2026, the "Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)" sanctioned "the Los Mendoza Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) and the Los Huistas DTO", for supporting "the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG)" ^[1]. On February 20, 2025, the Department of State designated both cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and as Specially Designated Global Terrorists ^[1].

The release says OFAC is acting against Los Mendoza DTO under E.O. 14059 and under the amended E.O. 13224 for "providing material support to the Sinaloa Cartel" ^[1]. The release says OFAC is acting against Los Huistas DTO under the amended E.O. 13224 for "providing material support to the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG" ^[1]. OFAC first listed Los Huistas DTO under E.O. 14059 on March 18, 2022 ^[1]. Both groups are based in Guatemala and control trafficking corridors on the country's Honduras border and its Mexico border ^[1].

The Department of State, in a same-day action, is designating Los Lorenzanas as an FTO under "section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act", and as an SDGT under the amended E.O. 13224 ^[1][3]. A press statement from Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, said Los Lorenzanas is "one of Guatemala's most powerful drug trafficking clans" and "is responsible for numerous acts of violence against civilians, government officials, and military forces in Guatemala" ^[3]. "FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register" ^[3].

The SDN List update adds Los Lorenzanas, listed as the Lorenzana Drug Trafficking Organization, and adds Los Mendoza DTO, listing locations in Belize, in Guatemala, and in Honduras ^[2]. The Los Huistas DTO entry was changed to include an SDGT listing and ties it to both the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG ^[2].

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said, "Today's action exposes the ties between politically influential Guatemalan criminal organizations and Mexican foreign terrorist organizations that facilitate the flow of deadly narcotics into the United States" ^[1].

How it affects Americans

The two groups help move narcotics into the United States ^[1]. OFAC said that by targeting these facilitators it is disrupting the movement of "fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other illicit drugs" ^[1].

As a result of the action, "all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC" ^[1].

The Veil Press view

Treasury presents the sanctions as a strike on logistics partners that move narcotics into the United States ^[1]. The Department of State presents the Los Lorenzanas action as an FTO and SDGT designation ^[3].

Our read: The American interest is follow-the-money pressure on the logistics partners named in these releases.

What we know

Confirmed

• On November 13, 2026, OFAC sanctioned the Los Mendoza DTO and the Los Huistas DTO ^[1].
• Los Mendoza DTO is being sanctioned under E.O. 14059 and the amended E.O. 13224; Los Huistas DTO is being sanctioned under the amended E.O. 13224, after an OFAC listing under E.O. 14059 on March 18, 2022 ^[1].
• The Department of State is designating Los Lorenzanas as an FTO and an SDGT ^[1][3]. "FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register" ^[3].
• Property of the designated persons in the United States, or held by U.S. persons, is blocked and must be reported to OFAC ^[1].
• OFAC added Los Lorenzanas to the SDN List under FTO and SDGT programs and added an SDGT listing to Los Huistas DTO ^[2].

Still being reported

• Publication of the Los Lorenzanas FTO designation in the Federal Register ^[3].