U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on August 12, 2026, that Colombia’s newly inaugurated president has requested joint military operations to combat narco-terrorism. The accession makes Colombia the 19th member of the Shield of the Americas initiative following a conservative shift in the South American nation’s government.
U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth Announces Accession and Joint Strike Prospects in Panama
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Panama this week to lead the second Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition (A3C) Forum, addressing regional ministers and chiefs of defense on August 12, 2026. During the meetings in Panama City, Hegseth welcomed Colombia into the military-led counter-narcotics coalition following the swearing-in of conservative President Abelardo de la Espriella.
The newly minted security partnership follows a rightward political shift rippling across Latin America, where weak economies and rising crime have propelled hard-right candidates into office. Hegseth disclosed that Colombia had authorized joint military operations to destroy terrorists and terror networks
as part of the expanded regional strategy.
President Abelardo de la Espriella Pledges Crackdown and Shield of the Americas Integration
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, known publicly as The Tiger
or El Tigre,
took office after blaming his predecessor, leftist Gustavo Petro, for an expansion of armed groups. During his swearing-in remarks, the conservative leader vowed to definitively eradicate the scourge of illicit crops
and committed his administration to joining the Shield of the Americas initiative founded by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration swiftly embraced the security crackdown, announcing plans to provide $1 billion in U.S. security assistance to the new Colombian government. One anonymous U.S. official noted that the emerging security framework is expected to surpass the level of bilateral cooperation seen under Plan Colombia, the major anti-narcotics initiative launched in the early 2000s.
Colombia’s Defense Minister Jorge Eduardo Mora Outlines Cartel Confrontation
Speaking alongside Hegseth at the A3C event in Panama City, Colombia’s newly appointed Defense Minister Jorge Eduardo Mora López emphasized that his country is prepared to take on a critical role in intercepting drug traffickers along both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. The retired major general argued that regional cartels must now face concerted multinational pressure.
During bilateral talks on the sidelines of the forum, Hegseth and Mora deepened defense cooperation, addressing regional security declines and steps needed to restore sovereign territorial control in Colombia. The discussions culminated in Colombia formally accessing the coalition and signing an Access, Basing and Overflight agreement with the United States.
Assessing Legitimate Targets and Rejecting the International Criminal Court
When asked directly whether he had discussed joint strikes against specific armed groups with his Colombian counterpart, Hegseth replied Yes
and confirmed that Designated terrorist organizations, with partnered governments, will be legitimate targets of the United States government,
specifically identifying the National Liberation Army (ELN) and remnants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
The defense secretary addressed pointed questions regarding the legality of ongoing U.S. military strikes against suspected drug boats in the region, which have killed more than 200 people since launching last September. While critics have denounced the operations as war crimes worthy of the International Criminal Court, Hegseth defended the actions as entirely legal under international humanitarian law
and urged coalition allies attending the summit to abandon the ICC.
Broader Regional Alignment and the Revised Monroe Doctrine
In outlining Washington’s strategic posture, Hegseth invoked a revamped Monroe Doctrine, referring to it as the Donroe Doctrine
in a play on Trump’s name. Asserting U.S. primacy across the Americas, he declared, We will defend our hemisphere from external threats,
comparing transnational drug traffickers directly to al Qaeda or Islamic State terrorists.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino echoed those security priorities during the forum, dismissing concerns that the coalition could infringe on national sovereignty. There’s never going to be a sustainable peace if this enemy (advances),
Mulino told attendees, framing transnational crime groups as the true threat to the region.
