April 20, 2026: Sanctions-adjacent: State moves to round up drug traffickers RCAs (relatives and close associates) [updated]


Sorry, it’s an acronym we used back in my days at Dow Jones – but it beats spelling it out….

Announcing Steps to Impose Visa Restrictions on Family Members or Close Personal or Business Associates of Sinaloa Cartel Affiliates 

PRESS STATEMENT

MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE

APRIL 20, 2026

President Trump is using the full power of the United States to eradicate narco-terrorist cartels operating in our hemisphere.  Today, the Department of State is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on 75 individuals who are family members or close personal or business associates of persons linked to the Sinaloa Cartel sanctioned under Executive Order 14059, Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade (E.O. 14059).  

Today’s actions underscore the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting the American people from the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).  The Sinaloa Cartel smuggles illicit fentanyl, which the President designated as a Weapon of Mass Destruction, and other deadly drugs that harm American communities.  Imposing visa restrictions on drug traffickers, their family members, and close personal and business associates will not only prevent their entry into our nation, but also serve as a deterrent to continued illicit activities.

Update: Claude tells me the names of these persons, who they’re associated with, and how, is not yet public. I will keep an eye out for it, produce the list for you, and see whether or not there is any known involvement in the cartel’s activities – or if it’s just guilt by association.


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