After killing hundreds in boat strikes, US military expands campaign on land in Latin America

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. military's decade-long campaign of bombing drug-ferrying boats off Latin America's coasts has claimed hundreds of lives. Now, the current administration plans to expand this lethal strategy to land, seeking partnerships with allied nations in the region. President Donald Trump's defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced in Panama that Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras have agreed to let the U.S. conduct joint military operations against criminal groups on their soil, following Ecuador, which has already initiated similar missions with the U.S.

The expansion signifies a shift in the Trump administration's strategy to pressure Latin American governments to align with its security interests and assert what it terms "American dominance over the Western Hemisphere." The move comes as voters across the region are increasingly supporting Trump-aligned leaders, providing Washington with more cooperative partners.

However, critics express concerns over the potential for increased civilian casualties and a backlash against the U.S. that could persist beyond the duration of the Republican administration.

Michael Shifter, a Latin America expert at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, notes that the expansion is an attempt to legitimize the U.S.'s growing military presence in the region, highlighting the project of power, military superiority, and the imposition of U.S. agenda. This approach is not seen as cooperation but rather as an inherently asymmetrical relationship.

The U.S. has already designated 20 Latin American criminal groups as "foreign terrorist organizations," deployed troops in Venezuela to capture its president, and involved CIA agents in drug lab busts in Mexico. Over 60 boat strikes have resulted in the deaths of more than 200 people, with little evidence to suggest the targeted individuals were "narco-terrorists" and raising questions about the legality of these operations.

Hegseth provided little information on the nature of the joint operations with Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras. In Colombia, where Trump-backed leader Abelardo de la Espriella recently assumed office, there are indications of increased U.S. military involvement, potentially including joining strikes against armed groups such as the National Liberation Army (ELN).

De la Espriella has expressed a desire for greater U.S. military presence, stating that anyone involved in drug trafficking or threatening the safety of Americans or partners would be a target similar to ISIS or al-Qaida.