Hegseth says Colombia's new president has requested U.S. collaboration in anti-drug efforts

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the recently inaugurated government of Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has requested US collaboration in joint military operations in Colombia to combat "narco-terrorism."

During a meeting of the so-called Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition in Panama, Hegseth said Colombia would also join the "Shield of the Americas" initiative, becoming its 19th member. The initiative emerged from a March summit with US President Donald Trump and Latin American countries that sought to join forces in fighting drug cartels. Colombia's then-president Gustavo Petro was not invited to that meeting.

"Through the newly inaugurated president, as our president likes to say, President El Tigre, Colombia has already requested that the Department of War join Colombia in its fight against narco-terrorism, authorising joint military operations to destroy terrorists and terror networks," Hegseth said.

The government of de la Espriella, who was sworn in last week and is known as "The Tiger" or "El Tigre," did not immediately comment on the announcement in Panama, though the conservative leader has previously said his administration would join the US initiative.

Separately, Hegseth urged the Latin American countries at the meeting not to recognise the International Criminal Court (ICC). The US under Trump has carried out military strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the region, which have raised questions about their legality. Hegseth argued that such efforts "are entirely legal under international humanitarian law."

It remains unclear from Hegseth's statements what measures, if any, the international court has taken to hinder US operations in the region. He urged the nearly 20 countries in attendance to abandon the ICC and reject its attempts to strip their governments and courts of their "sovereignty." The Trump administration is pushing a campaign to dismantle the international court in retaliation for arrest warrants issued against senior Israeli officials over the war in Gaza, and investigations into US personnel in Afghanistan.