Criminal networks move drugs, guns and people across borders without a second thought, so the answer has to cross borders too. The Shield of the Americas is the practical framework the hemisphere has needed for years, built on intelligence sharing, maritime security and coordinated action against cartels. Countries joining up shows this is a real partnership, not one nation trying to police a continent alone.
Slapping a terrorist label on 24 cartels and invoking a 1947 mutual defense pact is a blueprint for open-ended, unauthorized American military deployments across Latin America. A coalition that excludes Mexico, Brazil and much of the Caribbean isn't hemispheric security; it's a handpicked club of ideological allies. Lasting safety comes from law enforcement, rule of law and choking off illicit money, not drone strikes.
There's a 15% chance that the U.S. will deploy military forces in Mexico without the cooperation of the Mexican government before 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 7.4.1