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Speaking at a gathering of regional leaders at his resort near Miami, the U.S. president framed cartel violence as a hemispheric security threat requiring a military-led response rather than traditional law enforcement strategies. According to reporting by The Associated Press, Trump urged governments across Latin America to consider deploying armed forces to dismantle cartel networks operating across borders.

The proposal comes as the United States faces simultaneous international crises, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran and Israel, underscoring the administration’s attempt to maintain a strategic focus on the Western Hemisphere while navigating global security tensions.

Military Strategy Moves to the Forefront of Anti-Cartel Policy

Trump argued that conventional policing and judicial strategies have failed to contain the growing power of organized crime networks that dominate drug trafficking routes throughout the Americas.

“The only way to defeat these enemies is by unleashing the power of our militaries,” the president told leaders gathered at Trump National Doral Miami, suggesting that a coalition approach similar to the multinational campaign against the Islamic State could serve as a model.

Security analysts say such a shift could significantly reshape counter-narcotics strategy in the region. Many Latin American countries have historically relied on police and specialized anti-drug units, while military involvement has often been controversial due to concerns about human rights and civilian oversight.

The proposal effectively reframes cartel violence as a regional security challenge rather than solely a criminal justice issue, potentially expanding the scope of military cooperation between Washington and allied governments.

Regional Alignment Reveals Strategic Fault Lines

The meeting brought together leaders from a group of countries broadly aligned with Washington’s security priorities, including Luis Abinader and Daniel Noboa.

However, several major regional powers were notably absent, including Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, long considered a cornerstone of U.S. counter-narcotics cooperation.

Their absence highlights persistent political divisions within the hemisphere over how to address organized crime and the extent of U.S. influence in regional security strategies.

During the summit, Trump criticized Mexico as a center of cartel activity, arguing that organized crime groups wield significant influence across the country’s security landscape.

Joint Operations Signal Early Steps Toward Expanded Security Cooperation

Evidence of closer military coordination has already emerged in parts of South America. Authorities in Ecuador reported a joint security operation with U.S. forces targeting a camp used by the Colombian armed group Comandos de la Frontera in the Amazon region.

In a video statement shared online, Noboa said the site functioned as a logistical base for fighters linked to narcotics trafficking networks.

“We will find them wherever they hide,” the Ecuadorian president said, describing the operation as the start of deeper cooperation with the United States in combating organized crime.

The operation illustrates how Washington’s push for greater military engagement may already be shaping security operations on the ground.

Security Agenda Intersects With Broader Geopolitical Rivalry

Although the summit focused heavily on cartel violence, the initiative also intersects with Washington’s wider geopolitical competition with China for influence in the Americas.

Trump’s national security strategy promotes what his administration calls the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine, aimed at limiting external powers’ influence in the hemisphere.

Earlier this year, Washington pressured Panama to reconsider its participation in Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting how economic and security competition increasingly overlap in regional policy.

China has expanded its presence across Latin America through infrastructure financing, trade agreements, and investment in energy and resource industries—an approach many regional governments see as vital to economic development.

Diplomatic Uncertainty Persists Across the Hemisphere

Trump also suggested that U.S. policy toward Cuba could shift once the current Middle East conflict subsides, hinting that negotiations or policy changes may be under consideration.

Cuban officials have repeatedly said they remain open to dialogue with Washington, provided discussions respect the island’s sovereignty.

Yet analysts say the administration’s emphasis on militarized security strategies, combined with reductions in foreign aid to the region, could complicate diplomatic relations with some governments that prefer economic engagement over security-led initiatives.

Kevin Gallagher, director of the Global Development Policy Center at Boston University, noted that countries across the region are increasingly balancing relations between Washington and Beijing.

“The U.S. is offering tariffs, deportations and militarization whereas China is offering trade and investment,” Gallagher said.

A Strategic Pivot With Uncertain Outcomes

The call for coordinated military action against drug cartels signals a potentially significant shift in the security architecture of the Western Hemisphere.

If adopted broadly, the strategy could expand defense cooperation between the United States and allied governments while reshaping how the region confronts organized crime.

But with major powers in the hemisphere absent from the initiative and geopolitical competition intensifying, the proposal may also deepen strategic divisions over how Latin America addresses both security threats and global economic partnerships.

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President Donald Trump indicated the United States might hold discussions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This comes as Washington deploys its most advanced aircraft carrier in decades, intensifying a counterdrug mission that has drawn regional attention.

Military Buildup Signals Potential Diplomatic Opening

President Trump said Sunday that the U.S. “may be having some discussions” with Maduro. He made the comment as the Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford arrived in the Caribbean, suggesting a possible diplomatic channel while U.S. forces step up operations against suspected narcotrafficking networks.

Speaking in Florida, Trump offered few details. He said, “Venezuela would like to talk,” and added, “I’ll talk to anybody. We’ll see what happens.” When pressed on the meaning, he responded, “What does it mean? You tell me, I don’t know.”

Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond. Maduro, facing U.S. narcoterrorism charges, has consistently accused Washington of attempting to provoke a confrontation.

USS Gerald R. Ford Leads Largest Regional Naval Deployment in Decades

The Navy confirmed that the USS Gerald R. Ford and several support ships are part of “Operation Southern Spear.” The mission aims to disrupt drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. U.S. Southern Command said nearly a dozen vessels and about 12,000 sailors and Marines are involved.

Rear Adm. Paul Lanzilotta said the forces aim to “protect our nation’s security and prosperity against narco-terrorism in the Western Hemisphere.” The Ford, carrying fighter squadrons and multiple destroyers, passed the Anegada Passage near the British Virgin Islands early Sunday.

Analysts say the deployment is a clear escalation. Aircraft carriers traditionally project power and deter adversaries. While not designed specifically to combat cartels, the Ford could pressure Maduro strategically.

Maritime Strikes Raise Fatality Concerns

The carrier’s arrival coincided with another deadly U.S. strike. Southern Command released video of a small vessel exploding in the eastern Pacific. Three men reportedly died.

Since early September, U.S. forces have conducted 21 similar strikes, leaving at least 83 people dead. Officials claim the vessels were operated by narcoterrorist groups but have not provided public evidence. Human rights organizations and regional leaders are seeking clarification on targets and legal justification.

U.S. Expands Training Across the Caribbean

Joint Exercises in Trinidad and Tobago

U.S. Marines from the 22nd Expeditionary Unit are training in Trinidad and Tobago for a week. The exercises focus on reducing violent crime and improving maritime security. Trinidad lies only seven miles from Venezuela and serves as a key transit point for cocaine shipments.

Foreign Minister Sean Sobers said this is the second joint operation in less than a month. The exercises build on growing cooperation with the U.S. government. The prime minister supports the strikes, calling them necessary to curb regional trafficking.

Venezuela criticized the exercises, calling them aggressive and provocative.

Training Initiatives in Panama

U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said troops are also training in Panama. Washington is reopening a “jungle school” used for operations in dense terrain. Driscoll added that forces are “ready to act” if directed by the president or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Experts note that the expanded presence signals a U.S. strategic shift, moving attention from the Middle East and Asia toward Latin America.

Administration Defends Counterdrug Mission

U.S. officials emphasize that the military buildup aims to stop illegal drugs from entering the country. Trump described the strikes as part of an “armed conflict” with foreign terrorist organizations, claiming cartels threaten U.S. national security.

Critics, including some Republicans, have demanded more information about targets and legal justification. Human rights groups and the U.N. have called for transparency and proportionality in these operations.

Asked Friday if he had decided on a broader strategy, Trump said, “I sort of have made up my mind,” without elaboration.

Venezuela Mobilizes as Tensions Escalate

Venezuelan authorities announced a “massive” mobilization of troops and civilian volunteers. Maduro and senior officials held rallies to support neighborhood committees linked to the Socialist Party.

Venezuela has repeatedly said U.S. military presence is an attempt to undermine its sovereignty. Support for Maduro remains divided amid political disputes and economic instability.

U.S. to Label Venezuelan Cartel a Foreign Terrorist Organization

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed that the U.S. does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. He called the government a “transshipment organization” that collaborates with drug traffickers.

Rubio announced that the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns) will be designated a foreign terrorist organization. Starting Nov. 24, providing material support to the cartel or its members will be a crime under U.S. law.

U.S. officials allege Maduro and senior associates lead the cartel. Venezuelan authorities deny these accusations.

Regional and International Reactions Remain Cautious

The U.N. human rights office and several Latin American governments expressed concern over the potential for escalation. Some fear that U.S. operations could destabilize fragile regional dynamics, including migration and maritime borders.

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior Andes analyst at the International Crisis Group, said the deployment sends a strong message. “This is the anchor of what it means to have U.S. military power once again in Latin America,” she said. “It has raised anxieties in Venezuela and throughout the region. Everyone is watching closely to see how far the U.S. is willing to go.”

Source: AP News – Trump says US may have discussions with Maduro as aircraft carrier arrives in Caribbean

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President Donald Trump has announced plans to designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, signing an executive order on Monday aimed at escalating efforts to combat these groups. The move is expected to intensify a militarized approach to U.S. border policies and relations with Latin America.

Key Focus on Latin American Cartels

The order specifically highlights the threats posed by Mexican drug cartels and other criminal organizations such as Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and El Salvador’s Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). These groups, the order states, “threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere.”

While no organizations were explicitly named in the order, Cabinet secretaries have been tasked with recommending groups for designation within 14 days.

Violence, Drugs, and National Security

The order emphasizes the cartels’ role in destabilizing Latin American nations and flooding the U.S. with drugs, violent criminals, and gangs. Trump’s administration has framed the issue as a direct threat to U.S. national security, although the specific impact on counter-cartel efforts remains unclear. Critics worry that this step could complicate access to asylum for individuals from affected regions.

Expanded Measures on Immigration and Border Security

This executive order adds to a series of controversial immigration and border security actions by Trump, including:

• Declaring an emergency on the southern border.
• Threatening to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada by February 1.
• Ending the use of the CBP One app, which allowed migrants to apply for asylum appointments before reaching the U.S. border.

Trump has also proposed mass deportations and even military intervention in Mexico, a suggestion strongly opposed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Impact on Migrants and Asylum Seekers

Designating cartels as terrorist organizations could complicate migration further. According to Vanda Felbab-Brown, a Brookings Institution expert on organized crime, the move could disqualify many asylum seekers. Migrants often pay cartels to cross through Mexico or other countries, which could now be seen as material support for terrorism under U.S. law.

“Trump can essentially prevent the vast majority of undocumented migrants trying to cross the U.S. border from getting asylum,” Felbab-Brown explained.

Critics Call It ‘Political Theater’

Some experts believe the designation will have limited practical impact. Mike Vigil, former head of the DEA’s foreign operations, dismissed the move as largely symbolic.

“It’s already been done. This is nothing new,” said Vigil. “It’s all political theater and tossing a piece of stale salami to his base.”

While the order might enable the U.S. to freeze assets, sanction U.S. citizens working with cartels, and block members of designated groups from entering the country, Vigil clarified that it doesn’t authorize U.S. military intervention in Mexico. “Mexico is a sovereign country, and that would be an act of war,” he added.

Rising Violence in Mexico

The move comes as cartel-related violence has surged, particularly in northern Mexico. The detention of kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada has triggered violent infighting within the Sinaloa cartel. Mutilated bodies have been found, and kidnappings—including from hospitals—are on the rise.

Cartels have also embraced advanced tactics, deploying drones, IEDs, and armored vehicles, while diversifying into new areas like migrant trafficking and even the avocado trade. Tragically, thousands of Mexican citizens have been killed or disappeared in the crossfire.

Hopes for Justice Among Victims’ Families

Some victims’ families in Mexico see the designation as a potential step toward justice. Adrián LeBarón, whose daughter was killed in a 2019 massacre, welcomed the move.

LeBarón, who has described the attack as terrorism, said it could pressure authorities to hold perpetrators accountable and raise awareness about violence in Mexico.

“An investigation into terrorism is justice not only for us but also for every town and corner of the country where a family has been destroyed and terror is sown in its wake,” he wrote on X.

Conclusion

While the designation of drug cartels as terrorist organizations could symbolize a stronger stance against crime and violence, its practical implications remain uncertain. Critics and experts are divided on whether it will lead to meaningful change or serve primarily as political posturing. Meanwhile, the families of victims continue to hope for justice in one of the world’s most violence-stricken regions.

Source

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