Pentagon Expands Latin America Strike Campaign to Inland Territories

The expansion follows an $820 million maritime campaign that has resulted in at least 221 deaths and faced criticism for minimal impact on drug trafficking. While the administration frames the initiative as an essential response to cartels, it lacks explicit authorization from the U.S. Congress. Legal experts have cautioned that these operations, particularly when targeting individuals within foreign borders, risk crossing into the territory of war crimes or mass murder.

Regional Alliances and Political Backlash

Commanding Gen. Francis L. Donovan has secured backing from 18 nations, with leaders in Colombia and Peru signaling interest in hosting joint U.S. military operations. In Colombia, President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella intends to join the Trump-led Shield of the Americas alliance, a move that civil society organizations warn could prioritize U.S. strategic interests over local stability and potentially endanger political activists.

Ecuador has served as a primary testing ground for this doctrine, with reports of arbitrary detention and unexplained drone strikes. The climate of volatility was underscored in June by the assassination of a local prosecutor investigating these incidents. Despite these developments, the administration continues to pressure other nations, including Guatemala and Honduras, to permit similar strikes, aiming to isolate holdouts like Mexico that have resisted direct U.S. military intervention on their soil.