The U.S. military is seeking to extend its campaign against criminal groups to land in Latin America, a year after beginning lethal operations targeting boats accused of ferrying drugs. The expanded strategy aims to put U.S. forces on the ground in allied nations across the region, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth announced last week during a visit to Panama that Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras have agreed in principle to allow joint military operations against criminal groups on their soil. Ecuador, which launched similar missions with the U.S. in March, is already participating.
This move marks a new phase in the Trump administration's approach to Latin America, emphasizing "American dominance over the Western Hemisphere." The administration has designated 20 Latin American criminal groups as "foreign terrorist organizations" and has previously conducted over 60 boat strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Questions have been raised about the legality and evidence supporting these strikes.
"It will be like you saw with the strikes on the drug boats,” Hegseth said, drawing a parallel between the naval operations and potential land-based missions. "Same effect on land. And so we’re working with Ecuador. We’re working with Colombia. We’re working with partners to bring the fight to the (designated terrorist organizations) on land.”
While some conservative leaders in the region, such as Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella, have requested increased U.S. military involvement, the expansion faces potential obstacles. Guatemala's progressive government has denied reaching such an agreement, stating that joint operations would be illegal without congressional approval. Mexico, a key transit point for drugs, has also resisted pressure for a U.S. military role on its soil, despite close security cooperation.
Critics warn that the widening U.S. military campaign could lead to civilian casualties and a potential backlash against the United States. Experts note that sustained combat operations alongside local forces are a departure from previous U.S. engagement in the region, which historically included providing training and intelligence but avoided direct ground combat.
"What's going on is an attempt to legitimize the increased use of the U.S. military in the region,” said Michael Shifter, a Latin America expert at the Inter-American Dialogue. “It projects power, demonstrates military superiority and enables Washington to impose its agenda. This is not cooperation, it’s obviously a very asymmetrical relationship.”
In Ecuador, joint raids with U.S. forces have occurred despite voters rejecting foreign military bases. A New York Times investigation into one such strike in March found that an alleged drug lab targeted was actually a cattle farm.
Analysts suggest that while presidents in the region may feel pressure to address security concerns, they also face public opposition to ceding national sovereignty. The long-term effectiveness of a more militarized approach remains a subject of debate, with some experts predicting that groups may adapt rather than be defeated, and that civilian populations could be further endangered in areas where armed groups operate closely with them.