El Salvador joined the United States and 13 other governments in the Americas in announcing coordinated measures against 24 organizations identified in the initiative as narco-terrorist groups, strengthening regional cooperation against transnational organized crime.
The joint statement was issued on September 22, 2026, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The participating governments include Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.
Under the Shield of the Americas framework, the countries stated their intention to pursue measures including asset freezes, immigration and visa restrictions, and criminal liability for individuals who knowingly provide material or logistical support to the targeted organizations, subject to each country’s domestic and international legal obligations.
The list includes Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Barrio 18, Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel, and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), alongside other criminal organizations operating across the Western Hemisphere.
The initiative is structured around three areas of cooperation: economic resilience, security, and multilateral coordination. The participating governments also expressed their intention to seek consultations through the Organization of American States regarding collective action under the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance.
For El Salvador, participation places the country within a broader hemispheric framework focused on coordinated responses to transnational criminal organizations and enhanced security cooperation across the Americas.
