The United States has ordered the deployment of spy planes, a warship, and a submarine to the Southern Caribbean Sea as part of an escalating military response to Latin American drug cartels.
The directive represents another significant escalation by President Donald Trump, who has long advocated for using military force against drug gangs he has designated as global terrorist organizations. According to the Daily Mail, the Department of Defense has now ordered the deployment of US air and naval forces, two sources briefed on the decision confirmed.
The Trump administration has previously deployed at least two warships to assist in border security efforts and anti-drug trafficking operations, issues that were central to the president's campaign platform. The US military has already increased its airborne surveillance of Mexican drug cartels to collect intelligence and determine optimal strategies to counter their activities.
Military Deployment Targets Terrorist Organizations
The Department of Defense has begun deploying air and naval forces to the Southern Caribbean Sea at President Trump's direct urging. One source explained that this deployment specifically aims to address threats to US national security from specially designated narco-terrorist organizations operating in the region.
Just last week, Trump had ordered the Pentagon to prepare military options in the region, marking a significant shift in how the administration approaches cartel threats. The president has even offered to send US troops to Mexico to help combat drug trafficking, though Mexico refused this offer.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has declared that the country will never accept the presence of the United States Army on their territory. She has firmly rejected any military cooperation that would involve American forces operating within Mexican borders.
State Department Designates Multiple Cartel Groups
In February, the State Department designated several cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, including notably Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Tren de Aragua, along with others. The department stated that these gangs constitute a national security threat beyond that posed by traditional organized crime.
The Trump administration added additional groups to the terrorist list in July, including the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns. Officials explained that these cartels were run by the President of Venezuela along with other leaders on his staff.
The Treasury Department also accused Cartel de los Soles of providing material support to other cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico and Tren de Aragua. Treasury officials asserted these groups were threatening the peace and security of the United States through their coordinated criminal activities.
Secretary Rubio Justifies Enhanced Military Response
Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement blasting Nicolas Maduro, declaring his regime is not a legitimate government and that he is not the president of Venezuela. Rubio added that Maduro has corrupted Venezuela's institutions to assist the cartel's criminal narco-trafficking schemes into the United States.
In a recent interview, Rubio explained that designating these cartels as terrorist groups would permit the US to use all available tools, including intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense. He emphasized that these organizations cannot continue to be treated as local street gangs, given their sophisticated weaponry and operational capabilities.
Rubio stated that drug dealing represents the kind of terrorism these groups are perpetrating, though he noted it is not their only criminal activity. He argued that their weaponry and organizational structure resemble what terrorists and even some armies possess.
Legal Experts Raise International Law Concerns
Legal experts have questioned whether strikes against cartels could violate international law if forces kill members who don't pose an imminent threat at the time of attack. Brian Finucane, senior advisor to the International Crisis Group and former legal adviser at the State Department, warned that unilateral US drone strikes in another country would likely violate the United Nations charter.
Finucane also noted potential violations of US law on assassinations, stating that any military detention of suspects outside the civilian criminal justice system raises significant legal questions. These concerns highlight the complex legal framework surrounding military operations against non-state actors.
Brandon Buck, a foreign policy research fellow at the Cato Institute, told the Daily Mail that Trump is on his weakest legal ground to use unilateral force in Mexico. Unlike prolonged Middle East conflicts where multiple presidents cited authorizations for the use of military force, such legal avenues are not present for Mexico operations, Buck explained, warning that Trump may risk significant diplomatic fallout with Mexico.
