Colombia Joins Shield of the Americas Coalition
U.S. Army Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that Colombia has officially become part of the regional anti-cartel coalition known as the Shield of the Americas.
He elaborated that this development opens the door for potential joint military operations between Colombia and the U.S. targeting narco-terrorist groups within Colombian borders.
Colombia’s formal membership in the coalition, which is also referred to as the Alliance of Counter-Cartels of the Americas (A3C), was established during a meeting taking place in Panama this week. Hegseth and Colombia’s new defense minister, Jorge Mora, signed the agreement while discussing various matters linked to security.
Hegseth addressed representatives from the 19 partner countries of A3C, declaring a new motto for the coalition: “We do bad things to bad people.” He emphasized the seriousness of the coalition’s mission, pointing out that they are confronting long-standing issues posed by malicious entities that have caused suffering to many innocent people.
“We’re set to change the situation here,” Hegseth stated. “We’re facing individuals who have inflicted harm for quite some time, and they should be prepared for our coalition’s resolve.”
During the discussions, Hegseth mentioned that Colombia’s President, de la Espriela, had asked for U.S. collaboration to combat narco-terrorism and authorized joint military action to eliminate terrorist elements. He confirmed that they discussed prospective attacks on groups designated as terrorists by the U.S., including FARC and ELN.
“Any organization identified as a terrorist, especially if linked with state actors, would be within our targeting scope,” Hegseth remarked.
In an official announcement, Colombia’s Ministry of Defense expressed that joining A3C aligns with President de la Espriela’s strategies and emphasizes Colombia’s commitment to a united front against terrorism and drug trafficking across the region.
The Ministry also made clear that any actions taken within the framework of the coalition would complement Colombia’s own duties to ensure the safety of its citizens.
“The government remains committed to utilizing every legitimate state capacity to maintain territorial control, safeguard communities, and dismantle threats to its people,” the statement conveyed.
The announcement also affirmed that Colombia is willing and capable of confronting these dangers with enhanced security forces and better international collaboration.
President de la Espriela made participation in the Shield of the Americas a prominent pledge during his campaign. After his recent inauguration, it’s noted that Colombia hadn’t been part of the coalition initially launched in March due to the previous administration under President Gustavo Petro. Petro had been critical of being excluded from the coalition’s efforts.
As the world’s leading cocaine producer, Colombia has been battling various Marxist terrorist organizations like FARC and ELN along with numerous narco-terrorist groups operating in the country. The Cran del Golfo group, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, often refers to itself as the “Colombian Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces.”
Former President Petro, known for advocating the legalization of cocaine, adopted an approach to tackle drug trafficking that many regarded as counterproductive. Reports highlighted an increase in cocaine production during his tenure, with narco-terrorist groups, such as FARC and Cran del Golfo, reportedly bolstering their recruiting efforts, particularly among youth.
In contrast, President de la Espriela, who recently faced a devastating earthquake in Colombia, has pledged to implement tougher measures against narco-terrorist organizations. Early actions during his administration included military operations that reportedly resulted in the death of a top FARC commander and the capture of others involved in drug trafficking.
