US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth asserted that his
country is prepared to take direct action against drug cartels, organizations
that Washington considers terrorist threats. His statements heighten tensions
in the bilateral relationship with Mexico, as he warned that the United States
could intervene unilaterally if nations in the region do not strengthen their
strategies to combat organized crime.
During an appearance before the House of Representatives,
Hegseth sent a strong message to the Mexican government and Latin American
countries involved in the fight against drug trafficking. “Take a step forward
so we don’t have to,” the official stated, insisting that the US administration
is prepared to escalate its offensive against criminal groups.
The Secretary of Defense compared the cartels to
international extremist organizations like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and stated that
the United States intends to confront them using the same national security
logic employed in counterterrorism operations. He explained that drug
trafficking represents a direct threat to regional stability and the security
of U.S. citizens.
Hegseth reiterated this Wednesday that his country is “going
to war” against the cartels through the so-called Anti-Cartel Coalition of the
Americas, also known as Shield of the Americas, during a cabinet meeting
chaired by President Donald Trump.
The alliance was launched by Trump in March 2016 in Miami
and is structured as a multinational military coalition focused on combating
transnational criminal organizations. According to information released by the
Anti-Cartel Coalition of the Americas itself, Mexico is not part of this
initiative.