Colombia has asked the U.S. to conduct joint military operations against drug cartels
The new government of Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriely has asked the United States to conduct joint military operations within the country to combat narco-terrorist groups.
According to the head of the Pentagon, Colombia has officially approached the U.S. Department of Defense with a proposal to join the fight against narco-terrorist groups.
“Through the newly appointed president—as our president likes to say, ‘El Tigre’— Colombia has already appealed to the Department of Defense to join the country in the fight against narco-terrorism, allowing joint military operations to eliminate terrorists and terrorist networks,” said Pete Hagseth.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Esprieya, who was sworn in in early August 2026, is known by the nickname “El Tigre” (“The Tiger”). He had previously stated his intention to intensify the fight against criminal groups and deepen cooperation with the United States.
Pete Hagseth also announced that Colombia will join the international “Shield of the Americas” initiative, becoming its 19th participant.
This regional security initiative was launched in the spring at the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump. Its goal is to unite the efforts of Latin American countries in combating organized crime, drug trafficking, and transnational criminal groups.
During a speech in Panama, the Pentagon chief also called on Latin American countries to refuse to recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
Hegset stated that U.S. military strikes against individuals suspected of involvement in drug trafficking are lawful under international humanitarian law.
Thus, Washington and Colombia’s new government are demonstrating their readiness for closer military cooperation in the fight against drug cartels, including joint operations on Colombian territory.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegset made these remarks during a meeting of the Coalition to Combat Drug Cartels in the Americas in Panama, according to the Associated Press.
Earlier, a CNN investigation exposed the scope of a previously unknown CIA campaign in Mexico aimed at physically eliminating key figures in the drug trade.
The U.S. military operation “Operation Southern Spear,” launched to combat drug cartels, failed to achieve its main objective—the volume of cocaine entering the U.S. has not decreased. Moreover, according to estimates by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the amount of the drug on the U.S. market may even have increased.
