Vice President JD Vance asserts that the United States commands respect and seizes power directly from criminal cartels to empower legitimate governments, fostering hemispheric peace. He declares, “One way to keep peace in your own hemisphere is to make it clear that the United States will be respected and that the United States is willing to take power away from criminal cartel groups and give it to legitimate governments.” These statements underscore Washington’s resolve to stabilize the region through decisive anti-cartel measures.
President Trump announces on Fox News’s Hannity that the US launches land strikes against drug cartels, stating, “We are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels,” as cartels dominate Mexico. This escalation follows a month-long military campaign that targets drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and beyond, focusing on the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, designated a foreign terrorist organization. Trump withholds operational details, signaling intensified administration strategy.
International Backlash and US Rationale
Mexico, Brazil, and Russia condemn the operations, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejecting intervention: “Intervention has never brought democracy, nor has it created lasting well-being or stability. We will not allow anyone to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.” Vance counters that these actions promote peace by slashing cartel revenues from cocaine and fentanyl, stabilizing Latin America and the Caribbean. The US coordinates with allies like Colombia via productive calls to align efforts.
