Colombia prepares to receive during November to three of the highest-ranking officials in security and defense matters Donald Trump’s governmentat a time when the United States troop deployment advancesstrengthening aerial surveillance capabilities and coordinating military operations against organizations dedicated to drug trafficking in Latin America.
This is the American vice president, James David Vance; the secretary of war, Pete Hegsethand the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Cainewhose visits were revealed by Blu Radiowhich anticipated a series of meetings with the President’s Government Abelardo De La Espriella to address issues of security, military cooperation, trade and the fight against criminal organizations.
But EL TIEMPO knew that Thomas G. DiNanno will arrive in the country next weekUndersecretary of Arms Control and International Security.
DiNanno is the man who speaks to Trump on gun control and other security aspects that interest the United States. He directed the foreign policy of the North American country on nuclear arms control, anti-missile defense and outer space.
Dan Caine Photo:AFP
He He was the head of the negotiation of the 2020 New Start treaty for the reduction of Russian nuclear weapons. Besides, has touched on these issues with JapanKorea and Australia. Within his career he has held senior positions in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in which worked on anti-terrorism programs.
The second to arrive it would be General Caine, during the second week of November and its agenda would be focused on cooperation between the Military forces of both countries, the exchange of intelligence, border security and operations against drug trafficking cartels. Later, during the third or fourth week of the month, Vance’s visit would occurwhile the date of Hegseth’s voyage still pending definition.
The announcement is known precisely when The United States deploys more than 300 uniformed personnel in Colombia to participate in military exercises called Southern Vanguard 2026that They take place in the Military Fort of Tolemaidain Nile, Cundinamarca, between the October 27 and November 11 and in the midst of the arrival of drones MQ-9A Reaper.
Donald Trump and Vice President James David Vance, at the inauguration on January 20. Photo:EFE
In fact, this Friday The first images of the deployment were known of American equipment in Tolemaida, including helicopters UH-60 Black Hawk transported on military aircraft. In the activities Around 350 American soldiers participate and more than 400 members of the Colombian forces.
The military movements also coincide with the decisions taken at the beginning of this week in the Dominican Republicwhere representatives from 19 nations participated in the Conference of the Coalition of the Americas against Cartelsknown as A3Cone of the cooperation mechanisms linked to the strategy of the Shield of the Americas promoted by Washington.
The meeting, held in Santo Domingo and organized by the Dominican Ministry of Defense and the United States Southern Command, was aimed at advancing operations planning coordinated against drug trafficking organizations and transnational organized crime.
Colombian participation in that strategy It had been formalized in Augustwhen Hegseth announced the incorporation of the country to the Coalition of the Americas against Cartels. During that meeting, the US official also assured that the Colombian Government had requested support of Washington to carry out joint military operations against organizations considered narcoterrorists.
Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense Photo:Getty Images via AFP
The Secretary of War He then pointed out that Colombia had offered its territory to establish a coalition headquarters or coordination center. However, no location decisions have been disclosed of that facility, the number of personnel it would have or the functions it would assume within the multinational structure.
Within the objectives of the regional strategy organizations with presence in Colombia appearlike the elnthe FARC dissidents and the ‘Gulf clan’included in a relationship of 24 criminal structures identified by participating governments during a September meeting in New York.
READ ALSO
Hegseth’s eventual visit would have precisely one of its axes in it strengthening actions against drug trafficking in the Caribbean and the armed structures that operate in Catatumbo, on the border with Venezuela.
For its part, the visit of Vice President Vance would have a political and economic component and He is scheduled to meet with De La Espriella and members of the body of ministers to discuss issues related to migration, trade, investment and the tariffs imposed by Washington, whose suspension the Colombian Government would seek after the emergency caused by the earthquake that affected the Coffee Axis and regions of the Pacific.
Justice Editorial
Justicia@eltiempo.com
