The United States has deployed air and naval forces to the southern Caribbean Sea in response to threats from Latin American drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations, according to a Reuters report.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said additional military assets will also be sent, including several P-8 reconnaissance planes, at least one warship, and at least one attack submarine.
At least two U.S. warships were sent in recent months to help stop illegal activities in the region.
“This deployment is aimed at addressing threats to U.S. national security from specially designated narco-terrorist organizations in the region,” one source told Reuters.
The report comes after The New York Times revealed last week that President Donald Trump signed a classified order authorizing the use of military force against drug cartels.
Trump has made fighting drug cartels a main goal of his administration as part of a plan to reduce migration and secure the U.S. southern border.
In February, the Trump administration labeled Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, and other groups as foreign terrorist organizations. The Cartel de los Soles, allegedly led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and military officials, was recently added to the list.
Since Trump’s return to office, the administration has increased the military presence along the U.S.-Mexico border, deploying thousands of additional troops to support federal law enforcement.
The U.S. military has also intensified airborne surveillance of cartel activity in Mexico, using spy planes typically reserved for monitoring China and Russia and launching covert drone flights to track fentanyl production sites.
