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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [INTERNATIONAL]

2 clusters · 40 sources · 1 days · First seen · Last updated

US-led anti-cartel military operations in Latin America

Overview

The United States has initiated a coordinated military and diplomatic effort to combat drug trafficking organizations in Latin America through the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition.

During a meeting in Panama, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced plans to expand military operations against drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) to include land-based attacks. Hegseth stated that the U.S. aims to achieve the ‘same operational effect on land’ as seen in recent airstrikes against suspected drug-running vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. He emphasized that any organization trafficking drugs or threatening the U.S. or its partners will be considered a target, comparing these groups to terrorist organizations such as ISIS and Al Qaeda.

Washington is working closely with regional partners, specifically mentioning Ecuador and Colombia, to bring these combat capabilities to the continent. This expansion follows a maritime bombing campaign launched last September that reportedly resulted in at least 215 deaths. Critics and legal experts have raised concerns that these operations may amount to extrajudicial killings. Hegseth defended the use of lethal force, suggesting that the U.S. intends to destroy these networks rather than relying on traditional judicial processes.

In addition to military strategy, Hegseth urged Latin American nations to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing that the court’s actions attempt to ‘take away the sovereignty of countries.’ The Americas Counter Cartel Coalition currently includes 19 countries, such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, and Peru, though Mexico is not a member.

Entities

Colombia · Abelardo De La Espriella · Pete Hegseth · Donald Trump · United States Department of Defense

Claims

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

Timeline

  1. about 7 hours ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 37 sources
    US plans land attacks against drug cartels in Latin America

    U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to expand military operations against drug cartels in Latin America to include land attacks, treating trafficking organizations as terrorist targets.

  2. about 23 hours ago

    [POLITICS] 3 sources
    United States urges Latin American nations to withdraw from ICC

    Pete Hegseth urged Latin American nations to leave the ICC and announced Colombia's participation in the ‘Americas Shield’ initiative to combat drug cartels through joint military operations.

Sources

aksam.com.tr · am.com.mx · blogs.portafolio.co · bornelings.se · br.sputniknews.com · brasilemfolhas.com.br · businessdaily.gr · combonoticias.com · cumhuriyet.com.tr · desdepuebla.com · diariodocentrodomundo.com.br · dikgazete.com · elclarinete.com.mx · elfinanciero.com.mx · entornointeligente.com · entretodos.com.mx · ertnews.gr · estamosaqui.mx · extranoticias.cl · gatewaytoindia.com · indicepolitico.com · infomoney.com.br · itravelqatar.com · japanenergy.news · labrujula24.com.ar · lajornadanet.com · laopinion.com · lity.co · mamma.no · mayacomunicacion.com.mx · n.com.do · newsbeast.gr · newsbomb.gr · nezavislamedia.cz · protothema.gr · sapo.pt · sdpnoticias.com · sofokleousin.gr · veja.abril.com.br · zougla.gr

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history