The Trump administration has revoked visas for 27 Latin American officials, including Bolivia’s top prosecutor, former officials, and their family members, over allegations of corruption and ties to drug trafficking.
The visa revocations targeted officials and their family members from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, the State Department announced Monday.
The move comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to combat drug and human trafficking following a visit to Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, whose right-wing leaders are notably aligned with President Trump’s tough stance on the illicit drug trade.
Bolivia’s Attorney General
The administration is barring Bolivia’s attorney general, Roger Mariaca, and his family from entering the US, accusing him of accepting bribes to help drug traffickers and violent criminals avoid prosecution.
The State Department said it is “taking actions to fulfill the commitments to defend democratic governance across our hemisphere against corruption and narco-trafficking.”
“Under the Trump Administration, corrupt foreign officials can no longer freely enter the United States,” the department said in a statement.
The Full List
Visas were revoked for 12 other Bolivians, including prosecutors, judges, a former justice minister, and a police official. Nine Bolivians without current visas were made ineligible to receive them in the future. Two Colombians, two Ecuadorians, and a Peruvian judge were also targeted.
The New Policy
The move comes under a new visa policy aimed at foreign nationals accused of undermining democratically elected governments through corruption or facilitating drug trafficking.
“Undermining a democratically elected government is a threat to security and rule of law in the Americas and will not be tolerated,” the department said. “This is a durable mechanism that allows the United States to act quickly, in coordination with our partners, as evidence develops.”
The restrictions are part of Trump’s “Shield of the Americas” initiative, which calls for participating countries to work together to combat drug trafficking, organized crime, and corruption in the Western Hemisphere.
The Bottom Line
The US has revoked visas for 27 Latin American officials from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru over corruption and drug trafficking allegations. Bolivia’s attorney general and his family are among those barred. The State Department says the move is part of a new policy to defend democratic governance and combat narco-trafficking. The restrictions fall under Trump’s “Shield of the Americas” initiative.
My Opinion
The Trump administration says it is fighting corruption. That is a noble goal. But the timing and the targets raise uncomfortable questions. Every official named comes from a country whose current government is aligned with Washington. Bolivia’s attorney general is accused of taking bribes. That may be true. But Bolivia’s leftist government has been a thorn in America’s side for years. Is the US targeting corruption? Or is it targeting political opponents of its allies?
The “Shield of the Americas” initiative is framed as a regional partnership against drug trafficking and organized crime. But in practice, it looks like a tool for rewarding friends and punishing enemies. Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru all have right-wing leaders who align with Trump. Their officials were largely spared. Bolivia’s leftist government was hit hardest.
That does not mean the allegations are false. Corruption is real in Latin America. Drug trafficking is real. But the United States has a long history of using anti-corruption rhetoric to advance its own interests in the region. If the Trump administration wants to be taken seriously, it should release the evidence behind these visa revocations. Otherwise, this looks less like justice and more like a message.
