The U.S. Treasury announced on Tuesday that it will freeze U.S. assets of a money exchange firm and six individuals linked to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which was branded as a drug-trafficking terrorist group.
Under an executive order by the U.S Treasury, Americans are not allowed to do business with the individuals and the Comercializadora Colombian Money Exchange Ltda.
The Treasury said five of the individuals are listed as owners or managers of the money exchange firm, while a sixth, Norberto Antonia Agduelo Velasquez, was responsible for part of FARC's production and sale of cocaine and coordination of FARC drug exports.
"With this action, we are commencing a campaign against the FARC's financial network to undermine this deadly narco-terrorist organization," said Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury's sanctions arm, the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
The U.S. made the announcement after the FARC freed last week two Colombian hostages, politicians Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez, under a deal brokered by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Chavez said Friday Colombia, Latin American and European countries should clear the FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN) of Colombia from their terrorist lists and grant them political status.
He told Venezuelan lawmakers that the FARC and ELN were put on the terrorist lists of some countries because of pressure from Washington.
Washington rejected Chavez's call to remove Colombian rebels from terror group.
"Look, they earned their way on to the terrorism list ... I'm not aware of any substantial change in a pattern of behavior by the FARC that would merit their being taken off the list," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Monday.
Chavez and his government have been at odds with the U.S. government, accusing the Bush administration of threatening to invade Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia and other nations trying to get rid of its influence.
Source:Xinhua
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