U.S. weighs anti-graft task force for Central America

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden's special envoy for the Northern Triangle Ricardo Zuniga walks during a news conference, in San Salvador, El Salvador April 7, 2021. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Biden administration is considering creating a task force of officials from the U.S. Justice and State Departments and other agencies to help local prosecutors fight corruption in Central America's Northern Triangle countries, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.

Ricardo Zuniga, U.S. special envoy for Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, also told reporters the U.S. government has authority from Congress to craft lists of Central American officials involved in corruption, revoke their travel visas and impose financial sanctions on them.