Responsible Statecraft

Trump and 14 Lat Am leaders ignite new drug-terror war at UN

U.S. Department of State

Joint Statement on Defending Hemispheric Sovereignty

La Derecha Diario

Shield of the Americas: Trump coordinates sanctions against 24 criminal groups in the region

France24.com

US-led Americas coalition backs sanctions against crime groups

The New York Times

Latin American Allies of Trump Plan to Label Cartels as ‘Terrorist’

Reuters

Trump pledges 'unmatched military might' against drug cartels

Newsweek

Map Shows All Shield of the Americas Nations as Trumps Alliance Grows

The Washington Examiner

The UN has a cartel blindspot. 'Shield of the Americas is the fix

The Rio Times

Peru Joins a US Security Coalition That Nobody Has Signed

Metaculus

US military intervention in Mexico by 2029

Daniel DePetris

The Economist

Al Jazeera

Janes

Global Guardian

Bloomsbury Intelligence and Security Institute

David Mora

Zach Jensen

CIESAS

Anthony Placido

Angelica Duran-Martinez

Cecilia Farfán-Méndez

David Saucedo

"It’s far too early to predict whether the CJNG will descend into civil war like its rival Sinaloa."

“If we see these rival factions emerge, like what happened with the Sinaloa cartel after El Chapo was taken down, then we’re probably going to see even more violence.”

“When high-value cartel leaders fall, historically violence spikes in the short term... we cannot rule out the possibility that violence could escalate.”

“If past is prologue, what we've seen is that there will be at least a week, maybe more, of these sort of violent reprisals by the cartels. And then things will turn inward."

"In general, these types of operations – in which security forces take out a cartel leader – lead to more violence."

"There will definitely be skirmishes between the various factions, and these spasms of violence could last for years."

"Rival cartels will likely take advantage of the uncertainty and chaos within the CJNG to take territory, initiating a secondary wave of violence in areas it either competes in or maintains control over."

"In the short term (one to six months), Mexican security forces will very likely actively target regional CJNG leaders, leading to an increase in clashes between OCGs and security forces in Nayarit, Jalisco, Zacatecas, Michoacán, and Guerrero states."

Will Mexican Cartel Violence Increase After El Mencho's Death?

Fifteen countries issued a joint statement on Tuesday declaring their intention to strengthen regional resilience through the three pillars of the Shield of the Americas and to impose sanctions such as asset freezes, visa restrictions and criminal liability measures against two dozen criminal organizations.

Donald Trump

Fifteen countries issued a joint statement on Tuesday declaring their intention to strengthen regional resilience through the three pillars of the Shield of the Americas and to impose sanctions such as asset freezes, visa restrictions and criminal liability measures against two dozen criminal organizations.

The declaration was signed by the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and the U.S.

The declaration was signed by the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and the U.S.

All targeted groups are U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations, including Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Tren de Aragua, major Mexican cartels such as Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation, Colombia's ELN and FARC dissident groups, and Brazil's Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho.

All targeted groups are U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations, including Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Tren de Aragua, major Mexican cartels such as Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation, Colombia's ELN and FARC dissident groups, and Brazil's Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho.

The signatories further intend to request a meeting of consultation to the President of the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council to decide whether to establish an Organ of Consultation under the 1947 Rio Treaty, an Inter-American mutual defense pact, and push for collective action against cartels.

The signatories further intend to request a meeting of consultation to the President of the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council to decide whether to establish an Organ of Consultation under the 1947 Rio Treaty, an Inter-American mutual defense pact, and push for collective action against cartels.

This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump called drug cartels "the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere" hours earlier in his speech at the U.N. General Assembly and pledged, if necessary, to use U.S. unmatched military might to defend its own interests.

This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump called drug cartels "the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere" hours earlier in his speech at the U.N. General Assembly and pledged, if necessary, to use U.S. unmatched military might to defend its own interests.

Launched in March 2026 amid plans for a revamped Donroe Doctrine, the Trump-backed Shield of the Americas has recently expanded to 19 members after Colombia and Peru joined the coalition. Belize, the Bahamas, Guatemala and Jamaica didn't signed the statement.

Launched in March 2026 amid plans for a revamped Donroe Doctrine, the Trump-backed Shield of the Americas has recently expanded to 19 members after Colombia and Peru joined the coalition. Belize, the Bahamas, Guatemala and Jamaica didn't signed the statement.

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The Shield of the Americas, launched by Trump in March, later expanded to 19 members after Colombia joined, and its counter-cartel arm met in Panama with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said Bogota authorized joint military operations.

The Shield of the Americas, launched by Trump in March, later expanded to 19 members after Colombia joined, and its counter-cartel arm met in Panama with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said Bogota authorized joint military operations.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cartel Violence in Mexico

The US Seizure of Nicolás Maduro

US Foreign Military Interventions

The US-Venezuela Conflict

Shield of the Americas Coalition Impose Sanctions on 24 Crime Groups

Shield of the Americas Coalition Impose Sanctions on 24 Crime Groups

United States of America

Drug abuse & traffic

Politics

Crime & justice

For too long, criminal networks have moved drugs, guns and people across borders throughout the Western Hemisphere 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, rather than a single nation trying to police a continent alone.

For too long, criminal networks have moved drugs, guns and people across borders throughout the Western Hemisphere 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, rather than a single nation trying to police a continent alone.

Slapping a terrorist label on two dozen 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 is merely a handpicked club of ideological allies claiming to be hemispheric security;. Lasting safety comes from law enforcement, rule of law and choking off illicit money.

Slapping a terrorist label on two dozen 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 is merely a handpicked club of ideological allies claiming to be hemispheric security;. Lasting safety comes from law enforcement, rule of law and choking off illicit money.