US launches 18-nation military alliance to combat organized crime in the Americas

The United States Southern Command (Southcom) has formalized the creation of the Joint Task Force of the Western Hemisphere, an operational structure uniting 18 countries in a coalition against cartels in the Americas. This initiative marks the evolution of "Operation Southern Lance," which focused on interdicting drug-trafficking vessels in regional waters. The new alliance aims to boost operational effectiveness against transnational criminal networks and strengthen response mechanisms for disasters and humanitarian emergencies. Southcom Commander General Francis Donovan described the task force as the command's executive arm for the hemisphere, stating, "This headquarters brings together tailored military capabilities and trusted alliances to increase total systemic friction, operational tempo, exert sustained pressure on criminal organizations, and strengthen the security of the United States and our partners." The launch signifies the formal conclusion of "Operation Southern Lance," initiated in September 2025 under the Trump administration to counter drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific basins. This operation was part of the pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The multinational contingent includes Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago, joined later by The Bahamas, Belize, Chile, Guatemala, Jamaica, and Peru, along with Colombia's President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella. General Kevin Jarrard will lead the new organization, which will function as an integrated command center for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strategic planning against continental criminal groups.

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This headquarters brings together tailored military capabilities and trusted alliances to increase total systemic friction, operational tempo, exert sustained pressure on criminal organizations, and strengthen the security of the United States and our partners.