For the first time, the U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on a Mexican newspaper for alleged connections to a multimillion-dollar drug cartel, along with its executive, the businessman Naim Libien Tella. On Tuesday, the Unomásuno newspaper joined hundreds of Mexicans and companies that have been impacted by the U.S. government's counter-narcotics law called the Kingpin Act.
The "kingpin" designation freezes any assets that the individuals or companies might possess in the U.S., as well as prohibits American citizens from conducting business with them, explains the L.A. Times. A second newspaper, Diario Amanecer, as well as the Aerolineas Amanecer air taxi company were also blacklisted on Tuesday, reports the Latin Correspondent. Both are also operated by Naim Libien Tella, based in Mexico City.
A cartel called Los Cuinis has used Unomásuno "to further its drug trafficking activities," John E. Smith, acting director of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, explained in a statement. Los Cuinis is aligned with the cartel known as Jalisco New Generation, a rapidly growing and notoriously violent international criminal organizations in Mexico, according to ABC News.
"Today's action demonstrates that Treasury, along with its partners in DEA and the Mexican government, will continue to expose and target those who support narcotics traffickers," Smith concluded.
Established in 1977, Unomásuno began as an important leftist publication in Mexico. Though it was a precursor to the country's current leftist daily, La Jornada, its influence has since declined significantly. On Wednesday afternoon, Naim Libien Tella published a statement on the Unomásuno website, denying any cartel ties, denouncing and claiming that his newspapers have worked "to bring the cartels to light that continue to threaten Mexican and U.S. citizens."
Americans who conduct business with blacklisted "kingpin" individuals and companies face heavy fines and imprisonment.
