Colombia authorizes joint US strikes
Colombia formally joined the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C) on Aug. 12, a US-led regional initiative under the rubric of the so-called "Shield of the Americas." US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that new far-right President Abelardo de la Espriella had authorized joint "counter-terrorism" operations, a move that opens the door to US-led strikes on Colombian territory, which Hegseth said has already been discussed. De la Espriella's granting of permission to US troops to operate within Colombia is likely unconstitutional—the transit and operation of foreign troops on Colombian soil requires Congressional approval. The agreement was formalized in Panama, where Hegseth spent two days meeting with the A3C's 19 partner members, deepening ties, and rallying opposition to the International Criminal Court, which he accused of launching a "lawless power grab" by potentially investigating US strikes in the region, a step it has not yet taken. (NACLA Update)
See our last report on the Shield of the Americas.
Colombia-US military ties deepen
The Trump administration is deepening its military ties to Colombia's new government, led by far-right President Abelardo de la Espriella. Last week, head of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Gen. Francis L. Donavan, visited the country to meet with defense officials. Donavan vowed to help rehabilitate Colombia's air fleet, and travelled to southwestern regions that are havens for drug traffickers and armed groups. He also crossed into an Ecuadorian border town and attended a meeting between Colombian and Ecuadorian defense officials, who reportedly discussed the creation of a binational military base along the border. (NACLA Update)