What happened
The United States has begun to apply tactics used in the War on Terror to combat cartels in Latin America. The US military has moved MQ-9 Reaper drones from Africa to Colombia and Ecuador, and American Special Forces are partnering with law enforcement to combat illicit drug networks.
The Reaper drone, nicknamed the "hunter-killer," was commonly used in drone strikes against terrorist organizations during the Global War on Terror. The US has categorized 20 Latin-American based cartels as foreign terror organizations since President Donald Trump entered office for his second term.
According to experts, the Pentagon is using a counterterrorism framework to combat cartels, which includes intelligence gathering, drone strikes, and leadership targeting. The US is conducting joint operations with partner forces and using special operations forces to train local military and law enforcement groups.
The US-Ecuadorian relationship has strengthened, with American special operations forces partnering with Ecuadorian law enforcement to target an illicit cocaine network with ties to Mexican cartels. Other countries, including Guatemala and Honduras, have requested joint operations with the US.
However, experts warn that these tactics may have limitations, as corruption is rampant in the Mexican government, with many officials personally benefiting from cartel activity. The US must also address the underlying arrangements that allow cartels to operate, rather than just targeting visible criminals.
