US Southern Command Announces Joint Military Force with Regional Allies

The U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), responsible for military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, has announced the formation of a joint military force involving 18 regional allies. This initiative, launched under the "Shield of the Americas" framework, aims to confront threats posed by organized crime, narcoterrorism, and illegal immigration.

President Donald Trump initiated the "Shield of the Americas" in March during a summit in Doral, Florida, tasking the Pentagon with organizing this military cooperation. Major General Kevin Jarrard of the Marines will lead the "joint task force." Southcom highlighted Jarrard's recent experience leading U.S. military support for disaster relief operations following the June 2026 earthquakes in Venezuela.

The task force's mission, according to Southcom chief General Francis L. Donovan, is to "synchronize military capabilities and apply sustained pressure against the networks that threaten our collective security." The force will also remain prepared to offer humanitarian assistance and disaster response. This move represents a significant shift in U.S. military strategy in the region, prioritizing security cooperation.

This development follows a series of U.S. military actions initiated in September, involving unprecedented attacks against boats described by Southcom as "narco-terrorist." These operations, initially in the Caribbean off the Venezuelan coast and later extended to the Pacific, have resulted in at least 215 deaths through approximately 53 strikes, according to AFP counts. International jurists and human rights organizations have condemned these attacks as extrajudicial executions.

Previously, the Trump administration began designating several Latin American organized crime groups as terrorists in February 2025. The region, officially termed the Western Hemisphere by the U.S., has become a priority for Washington under its national security doctrine, a strategy Trump referred to as the "Donroe Doctrine," referencing 19th-century President James Monroe's policy of U.S. intervention in the region. The "Shield of the Americas" alliance has also spurred interregional initiatives, with countries like Ecuador, Argentina, Guatemala, and Panama announcing security and prison system cooperation models, and Colombia and Peru expressing interest in joining.