US Imposes Visa Restrictions Over Corruption

Shibbir Ahmed, Washington DC — The United States has announced new visa restrictions on foreign nationals accused by the Trump administration of undermining democratically elected governments through corruption or narcotrafficking in the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. Department of State said the new policy applies under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and can also affect the immediate family members of targeted individuals. The provision allows the United States to restrict entry when an individual’s presence or proposed activities could have potentially serious adverse consequences for U.S. foreign policy.

The State Department said the policy follows commitments made at the Doral Summit and reaffirmed in the Shield of the Americas leaders’ statement issued September 22. The administration said the United States would coordinate sanctions, designations and financial measures against individuals involved in activities that threaten security, the rule of law and democratic governance.

Initial visa-restriction actions were announced for nationals of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

In Bolivia, the State Department said it had taken steps to impose restrictions on 12 nationals and their families, including prosecutors, judges, a former justice minister, a police colonel, a former customs official and a private businessman. Existing U.S. visas for the named individuals were revoked, according to the department. Nine additional Bolivian nationals who do not currently hold U.S. visas were also made generally ineligible to receive visas, along with their families.

In Colombia, the United States said it revoked the visas of businessman Euclides Antonio Torres Romero and Senator Martha Isabel Peralta Epieyu and imposed corresponding restrictions on their families. The State Department identified Torres Romero as a businessman whose conglomerate operates mainly in the energy, traffic-signal and public-lighting sectors. Peralta Epieyu is affiliated with Colombia’s Historic Pact and the Alternative Indigenous and Social Movement, according to the department.

The State Department said two Ecuadorian nationals were also targeted under the new policy, with their visas revoked. The individuals were not identified in the announcement.

In Peru, the department said it revoked the existing U.S. visa of Juan Carlos Nunez Matos, a judge of the First Circuit Constitutional Court in Lima, and imposed restrictions on his family.

Separately, the State Department publicly designated Bolivia’s Attorney General Roger Mariaca under Section 7031(c) of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026.

The department alleged that Mariaca was involved in significant corruption and had abused his public positions by soliciting and accepting bribes to facilitate narcotrafficking and helping violent criminals evade justice. The State Department said the designation makes Mariaca and his immediate family members generally ineligible for entry into the United States.

The allegations against Mariaca are claims made by the U.S. government in announcing the designation.

Section 7031(c) allows the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate foreign officials and their immediate family members when the Secretary has credible information indicating involvement in significant corruption or gross violations of human rights.

The State Department said the new visa restriction policy provides the United States with a mechanism to act as evidence develops and to coordinate measures with partner governments.

The administration said the measures are intended to support democratic governance, security and the rule of law across the Western Hemisphere while targeting corruption and narcotrafficking.