New Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has asked the Trump administration to bring its deadly military campaign against drug trafficking groups to his country, the world’s largest producer of cocaine, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
The right-wing De la Espriella, who was inaugurated last week, pledged during his campaign to bring the “wrath of God” against drug traffickers and other armed groups to “end them like cockroaches, like rats.”
Hegseth, speaking at a regional security summit in Panama on Wednesday, said Colombia had authorized “joint military operations to destroy terrorists and terror networks.”
U.S. forces have blown up scores of boats and killed more than 200 people the administration accuses of trafficking drugs in the region. The campaign has not affected the volume, quality, accessibility or price of cocaine entering the United States.
Colombian Defense Minister Jorge Eduardo Mora, appearing alongside Hegseth, signed documents making the country the 19th member of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, created by President Donald Trump this year to fight drug trafficking.
The partnership is a sharp contrast from the U.S. relationship with Colombia under its previous president. Gustavo Petro, a leftist, was highly critical of the military campaign. Trump accused Petro of manufacturing cocaine, the State Department revoked his U.S. visa and the Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions.
The U.S. government has designated several Colombian groups, including the Clan del Golfo and the National Liberation Army, as terrorist organizations.
“Designated terrorist organizations, with partnered governments, will be legitimate targets of the United States government,” Hegseth said.
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