New York [US], October 11: The United States will create a joint anti-drug task force to oversee operations in Latin America, a move to boost Washington's military presence in the region.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on October 10 that the goal of this task force is to "crush drug gangs, stop poison and keep America safe".
Reuters quoted an announcement from the US military's Southern Command ( SOUTHCOM ), which oversees operations in Latin America, saying the new task force will be commanded by the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF), a mobile unit based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
SOUTHCOM said the II MEF would "synchronize and enhance counter-narcotics efforts across the Western Hemisphere."
"By establishing a (task force) around the II MEF headquarters, we enhance our ability to detect, deter, and dismantle illicit trafficking networks faster and deeper between the United States and partner nations," said Admiral Alvin Holsey, head of SOUTHCOM.
"This is primarily a maritime effort, and our team will leverage maritime patrols, aerial surveillance, precision interdiction, and intelligence sharing to combat smuggling, maintain the rule of law, and ultimately better protect vulnerable communities at home," said US Marine Corps Lieutenant General Calvert Worth.
So far, US operations have focused on attacking suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean. The US military has raided at least four vessels, killing 21 people.
However, the move to expand military operations has raised concerns about giving more power to the US military in Latin America, especially in the context that President Donald Trump is said to be considering the possibility of attacking locations inside Venezuela that he accuses of being drug trafficking facilities.
The Trump administration's attacks on ships in the Caribbean have alarmed US Democratic lawmakers and raised several legal questions.
Some former lawyers say the Trump administration's legal justifications for killing suspected drug traffickers at sea rather than capturing them do not meet requirements under the laws of war.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
