Less than a week has passed since Abelardo de la Espriella became president of Colombia, yet his administration and that of Donald Trump are already signaling plans for much closer collaboration. With the era of clashes with leftist Gustavo Petro now in the past, Washington views Bogotá as an ally. Against this backdrop, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the De la Espriella administration has authorized joint military operations on Colombian soil—a decision with profound implications for the South American nation.
“Colombia has requested that the Department of War join its fight against narco-terrorism, authorizing joint military operations to destroy terrorists and terrorist networks,” Hegseth said in Panama City. The Pentagon chief also reiterated that Colombia will join the “Shield of the Americas”—a coalition founded by Trump that already includes 18 countries—aimed at confronting drug trafficking networks in the region.
Colombia’s inclusion in this alliance was one of De la Espriella’s key foreign policy promises during the campaign. His inaugural address as president emphasized the need to confront “narco-terrorism and all criminal organizations without respite,” while consistently leaving the door open to doing so through joint operations with other countries.
The Colombian opposition sharply rejected the announcement, describing it as a “surrender of sovereignty.” Left-wing factions asserted that “the invitation extended by De la Espriella” is also unconstitutional. Several lawmakers have cited Article 173 of the Constitution, which stipulates that “it is the Senate’s prerogative to permit the transit of foreign troops” through Colombian territory.
Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, while the United States is the leading consumer. If it takes effect, the cooperation pact will allow De la Espriella to leverage one of the world’s most powerful militaries—and its intelligence capabilities—to combat some thirty armed groups and their more than 20,000 members scattered across the South American nation.
Colombia is the latest country to enter into such a collaboration with Washington. Last March, Ecuador announced the launch of joint military operations with the United States on its soil against organizations designated as terrorist groups by the White House, such as Los Lobos and Los Choneros. In June, the Venezuelan government worked closely with Washington to kill “Niño Guerrero,” the leader of Tren de Aragua—one of Latin America’s most powerful criminal gangs.
