US Declares 21 Regional Gangs Foreign Terrorist Organizations
The United States designated 21 Latin American and Caribbean groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations to disrupt their financing and operations, citing violence and criminal activity including drug trafficking, extortion and human trafficking. The list spans Colombia’s Clan del Golfo, Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles, Ecuadorian gangs like Los Lobos/Los Choneros/Los Tiguerones, Brazil’s Comando Vermelho and PCC, and Haiti’s Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, among others. The designation expands U.S. counterterrorism tools and could trigger asset freezes and travel bans for members and supporters as part of a broader effort to curb transnational crime in the region.
