World The United States slapped sanctions on eight members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who represent Colombia's main rebel group in 10 Latin American countries and Canada, the US Treasury Department reported on Tuesday.

The Treasury imposed the penalties on Jairo Alfonso Lesmes Bulla (aka "Javier Calderón"), Efrain Pablo Trejo Freire, Orlay Jurado Palomino (aka "Commander Hermes"), Ovidio Salinas Pérez (aka "The ambassador"), Jorge Dávalos Torres, Francisco Antonio Cadena Collazos (aka "Father Camilo"), Nubia Calderón de Trujillo (aka "Esperanza"), and Liliana López Palacios alias (aka "Olga Lucía Marín"), EFE reported.

"Through their service to the FARC as international representatives and negotiators, these persons provide material support to a narco-terrorist organization," said Adam J. Szubin, director of US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

According to the Treasury, these members of the FARC's International Commission represent the Colombian rebel group in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, Mexico and Canada.

"As representatives of the FARC and members of its International Commission, these individuals work abroad to obtain recruits, support and protection for the FARC's acts of terrorism," the department said in a written statement. "Some are also violent criminals."

The Treasury said that on August 6, Jairo Alfonso Lesmes was arrested in Bogota by Colombian authorities. Lesmes is a member of the FARC's International Commission for Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay. "He was accused for allegedly plotting the assassinations of former Colombian Interior and Justice Minister Fernando Londoño Hoyos, and of the brother of Vice-President Francisco Santos."

Orlay Jurado, who represents FARC in Venezuela, is wanted in Colombia on charges of kidnapping, rebellion and terrorism, the Treasury said.

The Treasury's measures, under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, freeze all assets that organizations or individuals can have in US jurisdiction and bar US citizens and companies from having any business or financial transactions with these people.