Key Facts
—Who. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions on 21 people in Colombia, seven of them named.
—What. Those covered can lose existing US visas and be refused new ones, and the curbs extend to family members.
—Legal basis. Section 212(a)(3)(C) of US immigration law lets the secretary of state deny visas over foreign-policy harm.
—Scale. The wider action covers more than 60 officials and prominent figures from Colombia and Bolivia.
—Not public. Reports name only seven of the 21 people in Colombia, and no relatives.
The US State Department said on Thursday, 22 October 2026, that it is restricting visas for 21 people in Colombia and named seven of them. They include Ricardo Roa, the former head of state oil company Ecopetrol, whose visa revocation we reported on 22 October.
The measure is part of a wider action covering more than 60 officials and prominent figures from Colombia and Bolivia, which we followed in our Bolivia report. For US readers, it shows Washington using immigration law as a foreign-policy tool against alleged corruption and drug trafficking in the hemisphere.
What Washington Announced
Rubio announced the restrictions under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act. That provision allows the secretary of state to deny a visa when a person’s entry could have serious adverse consequences for US foreign policy.
In practice, existing visas can be revoked and new applications refused, and the curbs extend to family members. The State Department linked the policy to the Doral summit of March 2026 and to the Shield of the Americas declaration of 22 September 2026, El País Cali reported.
Who Is Named
According to Infobae and El País Cali, the seven Colombians are:
- Ricardo Roa Barragán, former president of Ecopetrol and former manager of President Gustavo Petro’s 2022 campaign;
- Yahir Fernando Acuña Cardales, mayor of Sincelejo, capital of Sucre department;
- Wadith Alberto Manzur Imbett, senator-elect;
- Karen Astrith Manrique Olarte, representative-elect;
- Julio Elías Chagüí Flórez and Liliana Esther Bitar Castilla, both former senators;
- José Ignacio Mesa Betancur, a former congressman and former mayor of Envigado.
The State Department did not publicly give an individual reason for each name, according to the reports reviewed. Colombian reporting links several of them to investigations or court cases over public contracting, campaign finance or links to illegal groups.
Legal Cases Reported in Colombia
Colombia’s Supreme Court upheld a 76-month prison sentence for Mesa Betancur on 31 August 2026, according to the court’s own bulletin. Local reports say the Supreme Court also ordered the detention of Manzur and Manrique in March 2026 in a corruption case tied to the disaster-risk agency UNGRD, and Manzur did not take his seat.
Reports reviewed describe investigations or legal disputes for Roa, Acuña, Chagüí and Bitar, not final convictions. The US action is an immigration measure, not a criminal charge, and none of the people named is reported to have been convicted in the United States.
Reaction and Context
Juan Pablo Segura, the US under secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, said the measure serves regional stability and accountability, Infobae reported. A State Department statement in September on an earlier action in four countries framed the policy the same way, according to Voz.
We found no detailed public response from Colombia’s presidency, foreign ministry or the people named. It is also unclear whether Bogotá was consulted before the announcement.
What It Means for You
The action signals that Washington will keep targeting alleged corruption and narcotrafficking in Latin America through visa policy under the Shield of the Americas initiative. Colombian officials, politicians and business figures who travel to the United States for meetings or investor events should expect closer scrutiny.
Investors in Colombian assets, including Ecopetrol, should note that the former chief executive is on the list, though we did not verify any effect on the company.
What Is Not Known
The State Department did not publicly say which conduct it attributes to each named person, and the other 14 people in Colombia and the affected relatives are not named in the reports reviewed.
It is not known which of the seven hold valid US visas, whether any are in the United States, or whether waivers exist. Colombia’s government has not been reported to respond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the seven Colombians named?
They are Ricardo Roa Barragán, Yahir Acuña Cardales, Wadith Manzur Imbett, Karen Manrique Olarte, Julio Chagüí Flórez, Liliana Bitar Castilla and José Ignacio Mesa Betancur. They include a former Ecopetrol president, a mayor and current and former members of Congress.
What legal authority does the US use?
Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It lets the secretary of state deny a visa when entry could seriously harm US foreign policy.
Does this mean they are charged in the United States?
No. It is an immigration measure on entry to the United States, not a criminal charge.
Has Colombia’s government responded?
We found no detailed public response from the presidency or foreign ministry. It is unclear whether Bogotá was consulted.
Sources: US Department of State; Infobae; El País Cali; Voz; Corte Suprema de Justicia.
Further reading: US Revokes Visas of Ex-Ecopetrol Chief Roa; Bolivia Deputy Rejects US Visa Curb, 22 Oct.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief