Colombia has approved joint military operations with the United States against drug cartels, said U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegesez, announcing an escalation in cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking from Panama, Hegesez noted that Bogotá had requested the Pentagon’s participation in its fight against “narco-terrorism.” This authorization allows Washington to expand its campaign against drug trafficking networks in Latin America.
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Since last September, the U.S. has carried out dozens of strikes against vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific that were allegedly being used for drug trafficking. According to the report, at least 215 people have been killed.
The legality of these actions has been questioned by experts, while the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on U.S. authorities to investigate the matter. The agency cited strong indications of possible extrajudicial executions, while Washington has not publicly presented evidence of the involvement of the vessels that were struck in illegal activities.
Colombia’s newly elected president, Abelardo de la Espriegua, has pledged to dismantle the criminal organizations that profit from drug trafficking. The country is facing the most intense wave of violence in the last decade.
Source: KYPE
