Trump Rallies 'Shield of the Americas' Coalition Against FARC Dissidents, ELN, Clan del Golfo

On the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on September 22, 2026, US President Donald Trump convened leaders and foreign ministers of the 'Shield of the Americas' anti-cartel coalition and urged member states to formally designate 24 criminal and armed organizations as common threats to regional stability and apply sanctions against them. The list includes Colombia's FARC dissident factions (the Estado Mayor Central, Segunda Marquetalia and their affiliates), the ELN, and the Clan del Golfo, alongside Mexico's MS-13 and Tren de Aragua at the top. Colombian officials confirmed Colombian forces — not US troops — would lead any resulting operations against these groups on Colombian soil, aligning the initiative with President de la Espriella's own hardline offensive launched weeks earlier.