Overview
- The Pentagon announced Wednesday that Colombia asked for and authorized joint military operations with U.S. forces to combat groups U.S. and Colombian officials call "narcoterrorists".
- Colombia formally joined the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C) at a Panama meeting where Colombia’s defense minister signed a memorandum with U.S. officials, but the agreement gives no public details on locations, force size, or start dates.
- U.S. officials said the Pentagon plans to extend its current maritime campaign into land operations with partners including Colombia and Ecuador, a shift that follows a year of U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats that press counts say killed over 200 people and have drawn legal and human-rights scrutiny.
- The announcement has prompted immediate political and legal pushback in Colombia, with opposition leaders and rights groups noting that under the constitution the Senate must authorize foreign troop transit and warning about sovereignty and accountability risks.
- A reported $1 billion U.S. security package is tied to deeper cooperation and will shape next steps; the key near-term outcomes to watch are Colombian congressional approvals, published operational rules, and whether independent rights monitoring or legal challenges alter how and where forces operate.