Colombia authorises joint US military anti-drug ops, says Pentagon chief

On Wednesday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Colombia has authorized joint military operations with the United States to combat drug traffickers, expanding Washington's campaign against cartels in Latin America. Colombia had previously requested that the Pentagon join in their fight against narco-terrorism, Hegseth stated at an anti-cartel conference in Panama.

The US military had already launched airstrikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean since September last year, resulting in at least 215 deaths. However, President Donald Trump's administration has not provided conclusive evidence that the targeted vessels were involved in drug trafficking.

Legal experts and rights groups fear these strikes may be extrajudicial killings as they have allegedly targeted innocent civilians who do not pose an immediate threat to the United States.

Colombia's newly elected president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has vowed to combat criminal groups profiting from drug trafficking, following the country's most violent decade in recent history. De la Espriella, a hard-right leader who succeeded leftist Gustavo Petro, announced his intention to halt the failed peace negotiations with armed groups and confront narcoterrorism relentlessly.

He plans to achieve this by partnering with Washington, as Colombia has officially joined the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition led by the United States and other pro-US governments in Latin America.

During the meeting in Panama, Hegseth signed a memorandum with Colombian Defence Minister Jorge Mora, signifying Colombia's official entry into the 'Shield of the Americas' anti-cartel alliance. Member states of this alliance exchange information and coordinate judicial and security forces to tackle transnational criminal activity.

De la Espriella, who openly admires Trump and El Salvador's Nayib Bukele, has pledged to intensify airstrikes against guerrillas and drug traffickers, as well as offering to host US troops on Colombian soil. His proposed 'Plan Colombia II' is a modern adaptation of a previous US agreement aimed at dismantling drug cartels and leftist groups.

The US State Department has announced that the Trump administration intends to collaborate with Congress to announce $1 billion in assistance as part of a security package to support Colombia's new administration.