US plans ground attacks against drug cartels in Latin America

The United States is preparing to launch ground assaults against drug trafficking organizations in Latin America, expanding its anti-drug campaign beyond maritime operations. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the plan, stating that these groups are legitimate targets, akin to ISIS or Al-Qaeda, and will be dismantled with "all capabilities of the U.S. government."

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We are going to destroy these networks with all the capabilities of the U.S. government.

Hegseth revealed these plans in Panama, emphasizing that the U.S. intends to replicate the effectiveness of its aerial and naval attacks on drug smuggling vessels, which have resulted in at least 215 deaths since September. The new ground operations will be conducted in coordination with allies such as Ecuador and Colombia.

The U.S.-led "Coalition Against Cartels in the Americas" includes 19 countries, primarily from South America, with governments often described as right-leaning. Hegseth asserted that the U.S. is serious about targeting drug operations, from cocaine trafficking in South America to fentanyl in Mexico, and even remnants of Colombian guerrilla groups.

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Where ever they traffic drugs or threaten the American people or our partners, (those organizations) are a target, just like ISIS or Al-Qaeda.

However, the U.S. approach faces scrutiny. Hegseth defended the lethal nature of the maritime attacks, suggesting they bypass judicial processes to prevent the release of apprehended traffickers. This stance has drawn criticism from legal experts and human rights organizations, who argue such actions could constitute extrajudicial executions.

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We are not going to put them through a judicial process where we know they will be released.