PANAMA CITY (AP) 鈥� U.S. on Wednesday said the recently inaugurated government of Colombian has requested U.S. collaboration in joint military operations in Colombia to combat 鈥渘arco-terrorism.鈥�
During a meeting of the so-called Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition in Panama, Hegseth said Colombia would also join the 鈥淪hield of the Americas鈥� initiative, becoming its 19th member. The initiative emerged from a March summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Latin American countries that sought to join forces in fighting drug cartels. Colombia鈥檚 then-President Gustavo Petro was not invited to that meeting.
鈥淭hrough the newly inaugurated president, as our president likes to say, President El Tigre, Colombia has already requested that the Department of War join Colombia in its fight against narco-terrorism, authorizing joint military operations to destroy terrorists and terror networks,鈥� Hegseth said.
The government of de la Espriella, who was sworn in last week and is known as 鈥淭he Tiger鈥� or 鈥淓l Tigre,鈥� did not immediately comment on the announcement in Panama. But the conservative leader has previously said his administration would join the U.S. initiative.
Separately, Hegseth urged the Latin American countries at the meeting not to recognize the International Criminal Court, or ICC. The U.S. under Trump has carried out military strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the region, which have raised questions about their legality.
Hegseth argued that such efforts 鈥渁re entirely legal under international humanitarian law.鈥�
It remains unclear from Hegseth鈥檚 statements what measures, if any, the international court has taken to hinder U.S. operations in the region.
He urged the nearly 20 countries in attendance to abandon the ICC and reject its attempts to strip their governments and courts of their 鈥渟overeignty.鈥� The Trump administration is in retaliation for over the war in Gaza and investigations into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
