Overview
- U.S. and Mexican authorities announced the sanctions on Thursday, July 23, 2026, placing more than 50 individuals and companies linked to the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación on blocked lists and freezing their U.S. and Mexican assets.
- Washington named Juan Carlos Valencia González, known as “Pelón” or R3, as the cartel’s new leader and offered up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction.
- Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit filed criminal complaints with the Attorney General and added the listed parties to its Blocked Persons List while the U.S. Treasury used executive orders to bar U.S. persons from dealing with the targets.
- Authorities say the sanctions cut into a complex money‑laundering network that used tequila, clothing, construction, agriculture, fuel and other firms as corporate fronts to hide and move cartel revenue.
- The move builds on the FTO/SDGT labels and earlier actions after El Mencho’s death and recent arrests, and officials warned foreign banks they risk secondary sanctions if they keep doing business with the designated actors, raising compliance pressure but not guaranteeing captures.