Colombia has authorized joint military operations with the United States against drug cartels and will become the 19th member of the Americas Anti-Cartel Coalition, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday in Panama. The newly elected Colombian government requested the partnership to combat what Hegseth termed "narco-terrorism," granting its armed forces authority to conduct operations alongside US troops, Finnish broadcaster Yle reported.
Hegseth made the announcement during an A3C forum in Panama, where he is observing the Panamax military exercises involving 19 nations focused on defending the Panama Canal. He is scheduled to meet with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and senior Colombian officials.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has pledged to dismantle criminal groups profiting from drug trafficking. The US military launched airstrikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels last September in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing more than 200 people. In January, a US-led special operations strike deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.