Trump Administration Urges Latin America to Increase Defense Spending

The Trump administration is pressing Latin American nations to boost their defense and security expenditures to counter organized crime. Elbridge Colby, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, argued in Americas Quarterly that it is "fundamental" for regional neighbors to invest more in their own security, stating there is "no reason" for countries facing significant narcoterrorist threats to allocate so little to defense.

Colby deemed it "absurd" that some Latin American countries spend less than 1% of their GDP on national defense, contrasting this with European NATO allies who are significantly increasing their military spending to 3.5% of GDP, with an additional 1.5% for security-related matters. Colby participated in the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas in Cusco, Peru, earlier this month, where he advocated for the U.S. policy toward Latin America.

He highlighted a "historic opportunity" for the U.S. and its regional partners to collaborate on combating drug trafficking and other threats. The Trump administration recently established the "Americas Shield" initiative, a military alliance against organized crime involving conservative regional governments, though Brazil and Mexico are not part of it.

Colby explained that the Trump administration's national security strategy involves updating the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which placed Latin America under Washington's sphere of influence. He acknowledged the doctrine's controversial nature but suggested it is often misinterpreted. Colby asserted that U.S. objectives are not exploitation or subordination, but rather to foster greater prosperity, security, and stability in Latin American nations. He also noted that the U.S. is affected by drug trafficking and migration from the south, and Washington will mobilize all resources, including the armed forces, to address these threats.

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