US military expansion in Latin America revives old fears of intervention

The United States is expanding its military involvement in Latin America through a new regional coalition aimed at combating drug trafficking and what Washington describes as malign foreign influence.

The Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition (ACCC), launched by President Donald Trump in March, brings together the US and 17 Latin American and Caribbean countries. US forces have carried out strikes against vessels suspected of drug trafficking, while Washington has increased military cooperation with countries in the region.

The article by Al Jazeera argues that the growing US military presence could increase violence and instability rather than improve regional security.

In August, the US Southern Command announced the creation of a Western Hemisphere Joint Task Force to coordinate military operations with the coalition's members and respond to regional threats and crises.

The move has raised comparisons with the Monroe Doctrine, the 19th-century US policy asserting a dominant role for Washington in the Western Hemisphere.

Recent military operations have included a US strike in Venezuela targeting Hector Guerrero Flores, the leader of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang, according to the article. Venezuelan authorities later acknowledged the joint operation.

The newly established task force also attacked several suspected drug-trafficking vessels in late August and early September, killing at least two people, according to the article. It says the wider Southern Spear operation has killed at least 220 people, with no investigation into whether all those killed were involved in drug trafficking.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has also said Colombia's newly inaugurated president, Abelardo de la Espriella, authorised US military operations in the country to combat what Washington calls narco-terrorism.

The article points to the history of US military involvement in Latin America, including interventions during the Cold War and later anti-drug campaigns.

It cites Plan Colombia, a US-backed programme launched in 2000 to combat drug trafficking and left-wing insurgent groups. While the programme weakened insurgent organisations, it was also associated with widespread violence and allegations of abuses by Colombian security forces.

The article argues that greater defence spending demanded of ACCC members could also divert government resources from education, healthcare, housing and social security.

It further raises concerns about national sovereignty and accountability, arguing that greater US influence over defence policies could place pressure on governments to align with Washington's agenda.

The article concludes that expanding US military involvement is unlikely to deliver greater security and could instead place additional pressure on democratic institutions and social services across Latin America.

By Aghakazim Guliyev