Guyana has joined the United States and more than a dozen countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region in renewing their commitment to collectively fighting criminal networks in the Western Hemisphere through a number of coordinated actions including imposing sanctions and other measures on at least 24 narco-terrorist groups.
This pledge was made on Tuesday at the second meeting of the ‘Shield of the Americas’ – a coalition formed by United States President Donald Trump back in March 2026 to combat narco-terrorism in the hemisphere.
President Dr Irfaan Ali was among the leaders at the meeting convened by President Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Guyanese Leader was joined by Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.
The meeting called for enhanced collective action to combat narco-terrorism and greater efforts to strengthen the resilience of the Western Hemisphere through economic, security and multilateral coordination.
Addressing the leaders at the United Nations Headquarters, President Trump said “This is the largest and most powerful alliance for economic and national security ever to convene in the Western Hemisphere.”
During Tuesday’s meeting, 15 of the 19 member states at the meeting adopted a Joint Communiqué declaring their intent to strengthen the resilience of the Western Hemisphere based on three pillars – economic, security and multilateral coordination.
Guyana along with United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago were among the nations to declare their intention to further strengthen the resilience of the region.
Action on pillars
In this regard, the leaders agreed to jointly undertake a series of actions in accordance with their respective international and domestic legal obligations. These include defending their economies by enhancing economic cooperation; exploring investment screening mechanisms; safeguarding critical minerals supply chains through diversified and reliable sourcing; and promoting trusted supplier regulations for digital infrastructure to be applied on a non-discriminatory basis.
Moreover, they recognised that durable security requires economic development, stable jobs, and tangible opportunities for their people, and that economic sovereignty is successfully defended when the capital entering nations is transparent and verifiable.
Another key area that Shield of Americas member states agreed to work on is defending democratic governance against armed narco-terrorist networks. This will see them coordinating on sanctions, designations, and financial actions against terrorists and criminals, as well as expanding civilian law enforcement, and supplying humanitarian and messaging assistance to defend popular will.
They also pledged to defend and promote mutual respect for national sovereignty and each nation’s self-determination through multilateral fora to coordinate and advance shared objectives and proposals, such as catalysing international enforcement actions against transnational organized criminal groups or pursuing needed reforms to multilateral organizations.
According to the joint missive, in furthering these three pillars, the participating states intend to strengthen cooperation through enhanced intelligence sharing; facilitate access, where appropriate, to security technologies and capabilities; promote training and professional development of human resources; and expand the exchange of best practices.
The countries will also deepen cooperation on investment and economic matters and to strengthen consultation on and coordination of common positions on issues of shared interest in regional and multilateral fora.
Narco-terrorist groups
In further recognition of the immediate and universally shared threat in the hemisphere posed by transnational narco-terrorist organizations, the Shield of Americas members announced the first joint action on Tuesday under the newly announced pillars. This will see individual and collective action to confront the scourge of narco-terrorism.
“As such, we declare our intention to impose, as applicable and in accordance with our respective international and domestic legal obligations, asset freezes; immigration and visa restrictions for members, associates, and supporters of the organisations; and criminal liability for individuals knowingly providing material support, including logistical support, to the organisations, among other measures,” the joint missive declared.
This first joint action will focus on 24 criminal organisations operating in countries within the hemisphere. They are: The 24 groups: Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13); Tren de Aragua; Carteles Unidos; Cartel del Golfo (Gulf Cartel); La Nueva Familia Michoacana; Cartel del Noreste; Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG); Cartel de Sinaloa; Gran Grif; Viv Ansanm; Los Lobos; Los Choneros; Barrio 18; Cartel de Los Soles; Clan del Golfo; Primeiro Comando da Capital; Comando Vermelho; Chone Killers; Los Viagras; Juarez Cartel (La Línea); FARC Dissident Groups including FARC-Estado Mayor Central, FARC-Segunda Marquetalia, or aliases, affiliates, and successor groups; ELN; Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso); and Los Tiguerones.
In order to facilitate these new actions, the Shield of Americas intends to formally engage President of the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council on the establishment of an Organ of Consultation under Articles 6 and 13 of the Inter-American Treaty on Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty).
Once the formal meeting of the Organ of Consultation is convoked, the coalition intend to participate at the ministerial level to consider adopting a resolution promoting and facilitating collective action against narco-terrorist organisations under the Rio Treaty.
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