The United States-led Shield of the Americas security coalition is moving into a new phase with a coordinated regional initiative targeting 24 criminal and armed organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Fifteen participating governments have announced their intention to pursue measures including asset freezes, immigration and visa restrictions, and potential criminal liability for individuals who knowingly provide material support to the targeted organizations. The measures are to be implemented according to each country’s domestic laws and international obligations.

The initiative represents a significant expansion of the coalition’s original focus on countering drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. Washington has promoted the Shield as a mechanism for closer security cooperation, intelligence sharing and coordinated action against organizations it describes as narco-terrorist threats.

24 Organizations on the Target List

The joint initiative identifies a diverse group of organizations operating across several countries. The list includes Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Tren de Aragua, Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Gulf Cartel, Cartel del Noreste, Clan del Golfo, ELN, FARC dissident groups, Shining Path, Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho, among others.

The list also includes Haitian groups such as Gran Grif and Viv Ansanm, Ecuadorian organizations including Los Choneros and Los Lobos, and several other criminal networks operating across the hemisphere.

Rather than creating a single supranational legal designation, the participating countries have committed to pursuing measures through their respective national systems. This distinction means implementation can vary from one country to another.

Economic Pressure at the Center of the Strategy

Financial restrictions are a central element of the new initiative. Participating governments say they intend to freeze relevant assets and restrict immigration and visas for members, associates and supporters of the listed organizations.

The coalition also says people who knowingly provide material assistance—including logistical support—could face criminal liability under applicable national laws.

The objective is to make it more difficult for criminal networks to move money, recruit personnel, maintain international connections and operate across borders.

A Growing U.S.-Led Security Network

The Shield of the Americas was established earlier in 2026 as a U.S.-backed regional framework for combating drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations. Its activities have expanded through security cooperation, intelligence sharing and discussions about coordinated operations.

The coalition’s membership has also grown. Peru announced its intention to join the initiative earlier this month, while Colombia joined in August, according to recent reporting.

The 15 governments endorsing the latest joint statement are the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.

Mexico and Brazil Remain Outside

Two of the hemisphere’s largest countries, Mexico and Brazil, are not members of the coalition.

Their absence is particularly significant because both countries have major populations, economies and extensive experience dealing with organized crime and drug trafficking. Analysts have also highlighted sovereignty and differing approaches to regional security as important factors in the division.

The result is a regional security framework in which governments have chosen different approaches to cooperation with Washington.

Military Dimension Raises Questions

The coalition’s economic measures come alongside a broader U.S. strategy that has placed greater emphasis on military capabilities in the fight against drug trafficking.

U.S. officials have described the initiative as a combination of military and law-enforcement efforts. The approach has generated debate among international-law specialists and human-rights organizations, particularly over U.S. military actions against suspected drug-trafficking vessels.

Recent reporting has documented criticism of lethal maritime operations and questions about their legal basis. These allegations remain contested, and assessments of whether individual operations complied with international law depend on the specific circumstances and available evidence.

Beyond the Cartel Fight

The Shield of the Americas is also developing into a broader diplomatic and economic framework.

The participating governments have stated that they intend to increase cooperation on investment and economic matters and coordinate positions on issues of common interest in regional and multilateral institutions.

That means the coalition could eventually extend beyond counter-narcotics operations, potentially becoming an important channel for discussions involving regional security, economic cooperation and diplomatic coordination.

For Washington, the initiative also fits into a wider effort to strengthen U.S. engagement across the Western Hemisphere. For participating governments, cooperation offers access to closer security coordination with the United States while preserving the requirement that measures be implemented under their own legal systems.

The next stage will depend largely on how individual governments translate the joint declaration into domestic action. The designation of organizations on a common list is only the beginning; actual asset seizures, visa restrictions, prosecutions and cross-border operations will require separate national procedures.

As a result, the Shield of the Americas is entering a consequential phase in which its effectiveness, legal framework and impact on regional sovereignty will be closely watched.