The United States is ready to launch a «solo offensive» against cartels and is calling on Latin American governments to combat «narcoterrorists». This was announced on Thursday by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the inaugural «Americas Against the Cartels» conference in Miami. «We will act together with our neighbors and allies, but when necessary, we will not hesitate to act alone,» he stated. Hegseth emphasized that the new Trump doctrine, or «Donroe,» justifies military strikes against drug traffickers in Latin America. He also claimed that over 1 million Americans have died from fentanyl, cocaine, and other drug overdoses under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the human trafficking industry, he added, has grown by 2,000% to a value of $13 billion in 2022. The conference comes days after the first joint military operation by the U.S. and Ecuador against «narcoterrorist» organizations in the South American country. Southcom Commander Francis Donovan previously stated that the U.S. is the primary partner for achieving shared goals.
