Colombian President Petro Responds to Trump's Order for Military Action Against Cartels

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

From an Infobae Article

In recent days, a report by The New York Times revealed that US President Donald Trump had signed a secret order authorizing the use of military force against cartels and drug trafficking organizations in Latin America.

The measure, considered by analysts to be the broadest in decades, would not be limited to diplomatic or economic sanctions, but would also allow direct attacks by the Pentagon on targets in countries in the region, including Colombia .

President Gustavo Petro expressed concern about this provision, warning that it could open the door to U.S. military operations on Colombian territory.

"Trump is already saying he's sending his planes to bomb, and we have to figure out, Captain, what we're going to do, because then he's going to come and bomb Colombia. We're not going to do it because they were already killing children under the bombs, and now he's going to come. It's a matter of national discussion. I'm not going to comment yet, but national sovereignty exists, and I prefer to talk and coordinate rather than impose ," Petro said during a land distribution event in Córdoba.

The Colombian president emphasized that this potential intervention raises a profound debate about sovereignty and the lessons learned from half a century of fighting drugs in the region. “ That can't be imposed. We already know, we've been in the same boat for 50 years. 50 years of murders in Latin America. A whole war that can't exist, ” he emphasized.

Petro's warning comes in the wake of revelations published by The New York Times , according to which Trump has signed a secret order authorizing the Pentagon to directly use military force against criminal organizations in Latin America. This secret provision is the broadest to date in Washington's offensive against drug trafficking, granting the US armed forces a legal framework to carry out unilateral operations abroad without requiring prior authorization from Congress .

The scope of the measure is significant: it not only targets Mexican cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG), the Northeast Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, the United Cartels, and the New Mexican Family, but also armed groups and criminal networks in South America. These include dissident groups of the FARC, the National Liberation Army (ELN), the Second Marquetalia, and cells of the Aragua Train, all of which have an active presence in Colombia and alleged links to drug trafficking.

If this order is confirmed and executed, Colombia would face a major diplomatic and military dilemma. The direct participation of foreign forces in armed operations within the country raises questions about respect for sovereignty and the Colombian state's ability to lead its own security strategy .

On the other hand, the fact that Trump's order authorizes actions without the consent of the US Congress implies a drastic relaxation of domestic controls over US foreign policy. This could open the door to rapid, non-consensual interventions, increasing the risk of diplomatic and military confrontations in the region.

Petro's statement marks the beginning of a debate that will likely involve not only Colombia but also other Latin American countries targeted on the U.S. list. The region will have to discuss how far it is willing to accept foreign military interventions under the guise of combating organized crime , and whether there are more effective and less destructive alternatives to combat drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, senior US military officials are reportedly already designing strategies to implement this order, suggesting that the plan is not merely theoretical. Given this scenario, the challenge for Latin American governments will be to find a balance between international cooperation and the defense of their sovereignty, preventing the war on drugs from turning into an open conflict between nations.

Source Infobae