Trump Launches 'Cartel Response Military Coalition' with Central and South America... Strengthening Security Cooperation in the Western Hemisphere

"Dismantling Criminal Organizations with Lethal Military Power"
Coalition of 17 Countries Planned
Western Hemisphere Strategy Stressed Amid Iran Conflict
Move Seen as Reassuring Supporters

Reuters Yonhap News

On March 7 (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump officially launched a new alliance aimed at strengthening military cooperation between the United States and Central and South American countries to counter criminal cartels in the Americas.

This move is seen as a reflection of the Trump administration's strategy to expand security cooperation with countries in the Western Hemisphere.

At the "Shield of the Americas" event held at the Doral Resort in Miami, Florida, attended by the leaders of 12 Central and South American countries, President Trump stated, "Several cartels possess sophisticated capabilities comparable to military operations, and some organizations are highly advanced," adding, "Such a situation can never be tolerated."

He specifically mentioned Mexican cartels, claiming, "A significant portion of the violence and chaos occurring in this hemisphere is orchestrated by them."

Regarding the core objective of the new coalition, President Trump explained, "The goal is to dismantle brutal cartels and terror networks by leveraging strong military power," noting that approximately 17 countries plan to participate. He continued, "The leaders gathered here share a common will to no longer tolerate lawlessness in the Western Hemisphere," and emphasized, "We must utilize military force to suppress these adversaries."

Reuters Yonhap News

Immediately after his speech, President Trump signed a presidential proclamation to establish the "Americas Cartel Response Coalition." The proclamation stipulated that participating countries would cooperate to block criminal cartels from controlling territories, securing funding, and accessing resources. It also included provisions for the United States to train allied forces and mobilize them if necessary.

Additionally, it specified that the United States and its allies must also block the influence of hostile forces entering from outside the Western Hemisphere.

The meeting was attended by leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago, totaling 12 countries.

Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, stated at the "Shield of the Americas" working luncheon that "the United States places the security of the Western Hemisphere as a clear priority," adding, "Economic cooperation is also important, but without security, economic development cannot be achieved."

Kristi Noem, who was recently appointed as "Shield of the Americas" envoy after stepping down from her position as Secretary of Homeland Security, expressed her gratitude to President Trump, saying, "We want to create a future for our hemisphere that is safer, more sovereign, and more prosperous."

Meanwhile, as of this day, the U.S. military operation against Iran, which began on February 28, has continued for eight days. Some of President Trump's supporters have raised criticism that this contradicts the "America First" policy and the principle of minimizing overseas military intervention.

In this situation, the Trump administration's emphasis on strengthening security cooperation with Central and South American countries is analyzed as a move to highlight that U.S. security strategy is focused on the defense of the homeland and the Western Hemisphere, with the intention of alleviating concerns among its support base.

The second Trump administration has consistently stated its intention to expand America's strategic influence in the Western Hemisphere under the so-called "Monroe Doctrine," while also seeking to check the growing influence of China and Russia in the region.

President Trump also reiterated at the meeting that relations between Venezuela and the United States have remained stable since the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January.

He mentioned Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, stating, "She is maintaining excellent cooperation with the United States," and noted that "Venezuela is generating much higher revenues than before" through cooperation in the oil industry and other areas.

President Trump added, "Historic changes have taken place in Venezuela, and we expect significant changes to emerge in Cuba soon as well."

He further explained that Cuba, which has lost oil and financial support from Venezuela, is now "in a difficult situation," and stated, "The Cuban side wants negotiations, and we are holding discussions together with Secretary Rubio." He added, "An agreement with Cuba could be reached relatively easily."

In response, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel criticized the "Shield of the Americas" meeting through the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), calling it a "neo-colonialist gathering."

President Diaz-Canel pointed out, "This is a meeting led by the United States and attended by some right-wing Central and South American governments," and stated, "It is designed to make participating countries agree to the aggressive use of U.S. military power to resolve their own domestic issues."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.