The countries participating in the Shield of the Americas, a security initiative promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump, announced their first joint action against at least 24 organizations that participating governments describe as transnational narco-terrorist groups.
The announcement followed a meeting held Tuesday in New York between members of the initiative, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Under a joint declaration titled “Joint Declaration on the Defense of Hemispheric Sovereignty,” the participating countries said their first measure would involve individual and collective action to confront what they describe as the threat of narco-terrorism.
The measures may include asset freezes, immigration and visa restrictions for members, associates and supporters of the organizations, as well as potential criminal liability for people who knowingly provide material or logistical support to them.
The coalition also announced plans to seek a consultation through the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States under Articles 6 and 13 of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, known as the Rio Treaty, with the goal of coordinating collective action against the organizations.
The 24 groups named include Mexican cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Gulf Cartel, United Cartels, La Nueva Familia Michoacana, Cartel del Noreste, Los Viagras and Cartel de Juárez.
The list also includes Ecuadorian groups Los Lobos, Los Choneros, Chone Killers and Los Tiguerones; Colombia’s Clan del Golfo, dissident groups of the former FARC, including the Central General Staff and Second Marquetalia, and the National Liberation Army, or ELN.
Brazilian groups Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho, Haitian groups Gran Grif and Viv Ansanm, Peru’s Shining Path, the Mara Salvatrucha, Barrio 18 and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua are also included.
