U.S. Military Expands Operations in Latin America

The United States is deploying Army soldiers to Latin America as part of an expanded campaign against drug-trafficking networks. Several hundred soldiers from the Army’s 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in New York will participate in this initiative. They will train and conduct joint exercises with regional forces.

According to reports, the first troops will be stationed in Panama. This is part of a 600-soldier battalion deployment. The troops will initially undergo training at a new jungle facility in Panama. Following this, they will train with local forces in Colombia and Honduras. A senior U.S. official has confirmed these movements under the administration of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which will ultimately decide their final deployment locations.

Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan, who recently testified at a Senate Committee hearing, indicated that troops could assist U.S. special operations personnel. These personnel are advising local forces in conducting raids against suspected drug traffickers. Meanwhile, other soldiers from the same division will assist in staffing a new Western Hemisphere military command located in Miami.

The Pentagon intends to continue its operations targeting alleged drug traffickers within Latin America and the Caribbean. SOUTHCOM has also directed naval vessels, including USS Fort Lauderdale and USS Billings, to Venezuela. These vessels are supporting State Department-led relief operations in the region.

Since the operation began over a year ago, several strikes have resulted in more than 235 people being killed. Gen. Francis Donovan has stated that land strikes are being considered as part of future operations against trafficking networks. Potential actions could range from strikes and arrests to increased use of cargo scanners at border checkpoints.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced Operation Southern Spear with the aim of dismantling narco-terror networks throughout Latin America. The Trump administration is pursuing agreements with allied nations to expand military operations onto land in multiple countries. Agreements have reportedly been made with Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras, though Guatemala has denied this.