US and 14 Nations Sanction 24 Latin American Crime Groups

The United States and 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries announced Tuesday at the UN in New York their first joint action to collectively sanction 24 organized crime groups, calling them an "immediate and shared threat." The announcement came during a meeting of the Washington-led "Shield of the Americas" coalition. The agreement includes asset freezes, migration and visa restrictions, and criminal liability for those providing material support to the listed groups, which include MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Mexican cartels, and others. The signatories will formally request the OAS activate the TIAR treaty to coordinate responses. The action follows President Trump's speech describing drug cartels as "the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere" and his claim of military readiness. Brazil and Mexico are not part of the coalition, with Brazilian President Lula da Silva rejecting what he called "renewed hegemonic temptations."