U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Trump administration intends to expand its military operations against criminal groups onto land in several Latin American countries. Hegseth stated that Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras have agreed to allow joint operations on their soil, following a model similar to maritime strikes against drug boats. However, the government of Guatemala has denied that such an agreement exists, stating that such operations would requires congressional approval.
This shift follows a year-long U.S. military campaign that used boat strikes against suspected drug traffickers off the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Since the start of this campaign, the U.S. has conducted more than 60 strikes that killed over 200 people. The administration has designated 20 criminal groups in the region as foreign terrorist organizations, a classification Hegseth said places them in the same target category as groups like ISIS or al-Qaida.
In Ecuador, joint raids have already begun as of March 2026, despite a November 2025 referendum in which voters rejected the presence of foreign military bases. One specific operation in March targeted what was alleged to be a drug lab but was later found by a New York Times investigation to be a cattle farm. In Colombia, President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office this month, has reportedly requested increased U.S. military involvement to combat armed groups like the National Liberation Army (ELN).
The scale of the military campaign is defined by more than 200 reported deaths over the last year resulting from 60 maritime strikes. For the countries involved, the change represents a significant shift in national sovereignty and defense policy. While leaders in Ecuador and Colombia have moved toward closer military alignment with Washington, the push for joint land operations has met resistance in Mexico, where President Claudia Sheinbaum has declined a U.S. military role in fighting cartels despite ongoing security cooperation.
What happens next depends on the formalization of these agreements and legislative hurdles in partner nations. In Guatemala, President Bernardo Arévalo has stated the operations cannot proceed without a vote from Congress. In Colombia, the ELN recently conducted a drone attack on troops, leading President de la Espriella to promise a retaliatory response. Analysts suggest the U.S. must still define the specific parameters of "joint operations" for each country, which will determine how frequently U.S. forces are deployed and what specific roles they will play in active combat or support missions.