Escudo de las Américas targets 24 transnational narcoterrorist groups

Members of the Escudo de las Américas security initiative have announced their first collective actions targeting 24 transnational narcoterrorist organizations. Following a meeting in New York involving Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, participants issued the ‘Joint Declaration on the Defense of Hemispheric Sovereignty.’

The planned measures include asset freezes, immigration and visa restrictions for members and associates of these groups, and criminal liability for those providing material or logistical support. The initiative also seeks to convene a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) under the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR) to coordinate collective responses.

The targeted organizations include various Mexican cartels, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, and Cártel del Golfo, as well as Ecuadorian groups like Los Lobos and Los Choneros. In Colombia, the initiative will involve cooperation against groups such as the Clan del Golfo, ELN, and FARC dissidents. The United States has indicated it will promote $1 billion in security cooperation through Congress to support these efforts, including strengthening military and police forces.