The US military has been conducting strikes against boats suspected of ferrying drugs off the coasts of Latin America, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people. Now, the Trump administration is seeking to expand this campaign to land, with plans to conduct joint military operations with allied nations in the region.

Joint Operations

According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras have agreed to allow the US to carry out joint military operations against criminal groups on their soil. However, Guatemala has denied reaching such an agreement. Ecuador has already launched similar missions with the US, despite voters rejecting foreign military bases in a referendum.

The expansion of the US military campaign in Latin America has raised concerns about civilian casualties and the potential for a backlash against the US. Critics argue that the campaign is an attempt to legitimize the increased use of the US military in the region and impose Washington’s agenda on Latin American governments.

US Military Involvement

The US military has operated in Latin America for generations, providing allies with weapons, intelligence, and training to fight drug trafficking. However, the current administration’s approach is seen as more interventionist, with the designation of 20 Latin American criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations and the involvement of CIA agents in drug lab busts in Mexico.

The US has killed over 200 people in more than 60 boat strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, with little evidence that those targeted were narco-terrorists. The legality of these strikes has been questioned, and experts warn that sustained US combat operations alongside local forces could test the limits of national sovereignty and the presence of US troops in the region.

Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.