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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella’s newly inaugurated administration has formally requested U.S. collaboration in joint military operations within Colombia to target narco-terrorism.
The Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition Expansion
Speaking at a meeting of the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition in Panama City, Hegseth stated that Colombia is also joining the “Shield of the Americas” initiative as its 19th member.
That regional security framework originated from a March summit hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump, a gathering that excluded Colombia’s former leftist leader, Gustavo Petro.
Joint Operations and the Rise of ‘El Tigre’
“Through the newly inaugurated president, as our president likes to say, President El Tigre, Colombia has already requested that the Department of War join Colombia in its fight against narco-terrorism, authorizing joint military operations to destroy terrorists and terror networks,” Hegseth told the assembly, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
De la Espriella, a conservative leader sworn in last week who is widely known by his nickname “The Tiger” or “El Tigre,” did not immediately issue a public statement regarding the announcement in Panama. However, his administration had previously signaled an intention to align with Washington’s anti-cartel coalition.
Pressure on Latin America to Sever ICC Ties
Alongside the announcement of military cooperation with Bogotá, Hegseth used the coalition gathering to press Latin American nations to sever ties with the International Criminal Court.
The U.S. defense chief argued that American military strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the region—which have drawn scrutiny over their legal standing—”are entirely legal under international humanitarian law.” Hegseth urged the roughly 20 nations in attendance to reject the ICC, alleging the tribunal attempts to strip local governments and domestic courts of their sovereign authority.
Washington’s Broad Campaign Against the Tribunal
The diplomatic push aligns with a broader campaign by the Trump administration to undermine the international tribunal.
That campaign follows ICC arrest warrants issued for senior Israeli officials over the war in Gaza, as well as ongoing court investigations into U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan. Hegseth’s remarks left unspecified what actions, if any, the international court has taken to directly impede U.S. operations in Latin America.
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