Hegseth Says Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras Agreed to Joint U.S. Strikes on Land — Guatemala Denies It

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced during a visit to Panama that Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to let U.S. forces conduct joint military operations against criminal groups on their soil, following Ecuador, which began similar missions in March, the Associated Press reported. It will be “like you saw with the strikes on the drug boats,” Hegseth said. “Same effect on land.” Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo denied agreeing, saying such operations would be illegal without congressional approval. Honduras, Colombia and Ecuador did not respond to AP.

The administration has designated 20 Latin American criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations and killed more than 200 people in over 60 boat strikes. Extending that campaign to sustained operations alongside local forces would test regional sovereignty limits.

Hegseth gave few details. In Colombia, where Trump-backed President Abelardo de la Espriella took office this month, he raised the prospect of U.S. forces joining strikes on the National Liberation Army and said de la Espriella had requested greater U.S. involvement.