The US military is deploying hundreds of troops to Latin America as part of an effort to combat terrorist drug cartels. The move aims to strengthen a regional coalition of 19 countries and bolster the Shield of the Americas initiative.
What happened
According to reports, 600 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY, have been sent to Latin America. The deployment is part of a growing US presence in the region, with the goal of training local troops and carrying out raids and operations against cartels.
Mexico, a key hotspot for cartel violence, has been reluctant to fully cooperate with the US in efforts to eradicate the terrorist organizations. The country's government has claimed that the presence of US troops would violate national sovereignty, despite allowing some intelligence sharing and coordination with Mexican troops.
The Shield of the Americas initiative, which originally included 13 countries, has since expanded to include additional nations. However, countries with left-leaning governments, such as Mexico, Brazil, and Venezuela, have been critical of the initiative.
Recent operations have already shown promise, with US troops working alongside Ecuadorian forces to take down a cell of Cartel Jalisco New Generation members in September. The move has led to some key arrests, but tensions remain between the US and Mexico, particularly over the issue of cartel-connected individuals with political ties to Mexico's ruling party.
