US Secretary of War Says They Will Remain Militarily in Venezuela: 'It's Called the Coalition Against Cartels'

The United States will maintain an active military presence in Venezuela and continue joint operations in the region, according to US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. He described these efforts as part of a hemispheric strategy targeting drug trafficking and organizations Washington designates as terrorist groups. Hegseth made these remarks during an interview on CBS's "Face the Nation," where he defended the ongoing military cooperation with Latin American governments. He asserted that US forces were "invited" by the interim government to participate in an operation in the state of Bolívar, which resulted in the death of Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as "Niño Guerrero," the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang. The US security policy in the Western Hemisphere, Hegseth explained, is centered on forming an "American Coalition against Cartels." This coalition aims to partner with countries across Central and South America to pursue, defeat, and dismantle foreign terrorist organizations and drug trafficking networks. Responding to a question about whether Americans should expect continued US military involvement in Venezuela and similar operations in places like Ecuador and Guatemala, Hegseth affirmed, "Yes, they should." He reiterated that the coalition's purpose is to "pursue, defeat, and destroy foreign terrorist organizations and drug trafficking." The Secretary of War linked this policy to an "updated Monroe Doctrine," which he stated seeks to reassert US influence and control over the Western Hemisphere in the face of criminal organizations.

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Yes, they should.