U.S. Defense Official Urges Latin America to Boost Military Spending

Elbridge Colby Latin America defence spending Escudo de las Américas Monroe Doctrine update drug trafficking

Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, writing in an op‑ed for Americas Quarterly, urged the governments of Latin America to increase their defence and security budgets. He criticized nations that allocate less than 1 % of GDP to defence, citing NATO allies that now spend 3.5 % of GDP on military programmes and an additional 1.5 % on security.

Colby framed the request as a “historic opportunity” for regional cooperation, linking it to the Trump administration’s new "Escudo de las Américas" alliance and a revised Monroe Doctrine aimed at countering drug‑trafficking, organised crime and irregular migration. He noted the United States suffers direct impacts from narcotics flows and migration from the south. The appeal was delivered at the Conference of Ministers of Defense of the Americas in Cusco, Peru, and targets conservative governments in the region, with Brazil and Mexico explicitly excluded.

The push reflects Washington’s broader strategy to bolster partner nations’ self‑defence capabilities while expanding U.S. influence across the Western Hemisphere.

Entities: Donald Trump · Elbridge Colby · Escudo de las Américas · Latin America · Peru · Pete Hegseth · United States

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 9 SOURCES] Elbridge Colby wrote an op‑ed in Americas Quarterly urging Latin American countries to increase defence and security spending. (Colby)
[● 9 SOURCES] Colby said some Latin American countries allocate less than 1 % of GDP to defence. (Colby)
[● 9 SOURCES] NATO allies are spending 3.5 % of GDP on basic military expenses and an additional 1.5 % on security. (Colby)
[● 9 SOURCES] The United States experiences direct impact from drug trafficking and irregular migration from Latin America. (Colby)
[● 9 SOURCES] The Trump administration launched the “Escudo de las Américas” alliance to combat organized crime in the region. (Trump administration)
[● 9 SOURCES] The Conference of Ministers of Defense of the Americas was held in Cusco, Peru. (Conference organizers)
[● 9 SOURCES] The administration plans to update the Monroe Doctrine, referred to as the “Doctrina Donroe”. (Trump administration)