[REVISION HISTORY]

US military anti-drug operations in Latin America

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2026-10-07 23:34 UTC → 2026-10-13 02:58 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The United States is expanding its military anti-drug campaign in Latin America, transitioning from maritime strikes to include land-based operations. This shift aims to target the logistical structures of criminal organizations on land rather than focusing solely on intercepting vessels at sea. In Ecuador, joint operations are active near the Colombian border as part of the ‘Shield of the Americas’ coalition. These operations involve the U.S. Army’s 7th Special Forces Group (Green Berets), according to Esmeraldas Governor Juan Jaramillo. To bolster interdiction, Ecuadorian Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo confirmed the arrival of U.S. assets, including warships such as the USS San Antonio and USS Gridley, as well as Black Hawk helicopters, to disrupt networks moving cocaine to the U.S. and Europe. To facilitate this, the Ecuadorian government issued a decree allowing U.S. military personnel to remain in the country for up to 180 days with migratory immunity. On August 16, 2026, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced an expansion of the campaign to include land-based operations in Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras, designating 20 Latin American criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations. While Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo denied such agreements exist without congressional approval, the U.S. has resumed lethal maritime strikes through ‘Operation Southern Spear.’ By mid-September 2026, the scale of the campaign has intensified. The U.S. administration has informed Congress that the nation is in an “armed conflict” against drug cartels. Based on a classified Justice Department finding, the administration has labeled those killed in maritime strikes as “unlawful combatants,” permitting lethal engagement without judicial review. Since resuming lethal operations against identified trafficking vessels on August 24, the U.S. has recorded 67 attacks resulting in 223 deaths. On October 4, 7, 2026, ~~U.S.~~ an Ecuadorian judge acquitted 32 crew members of the fishing vessels Conquista II and María Candelaria of criminal association.

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