Pentagon sends hundreds of Army troops to Latin America for training as drug-trafficking campaign expands
The Pentagon is sending several hundred soldiers from the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division to Latin America for training and joint exercises with regional forces. The deployment supports the Trump administration’s expanding campaign against drug-trafficking networks, with US Southern Command deciding where the troops will ultimately serve.
A battalion of roughly 600 soldiers is expected to begin in Panama, using a new jungle training facility, before training with forces in Colombia and Honduras. The article says some troops could support US special operations advisers, while several hundred others may help staff a planned military command in Miami. US forces have carried out dozens of strikes in the region since the campaign began more than a year ago, killing more than 235 people; Guatemala has denied agreeing to joint US operations within its borders.
- Hundreds of US soldiers are heading to Latin America for training.
- A roughly 600-strong battalion is expected to start in Panama.
- The deployment comes amid an expanding anti-trafficking campaign.
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The 10th Mountain Division is a US Army unit whose soldiers train for difficult conditions, including jungles and mountains. The United States works with armed forces across Latin America through exercises and training, while US Southern Command oversees American military activity in the region.
Drug trafficking involves networks that move illegal drugs across borders, and governments in the region have used different approaches to tackle them. The United States says its campaign targets these networks; regional governments decide how to work with US forces, and their involvement can vary.
The issue matters because military cooperation can affect security and relations between countries. US strikes and training have drawn attention to how the campaign is being conducted, while Guatemala has said it did not agree to joint US operations inside its borders.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters can argue that joint training helps regional forces disrupt drug-trafficking networks that fuel violence and threaten public safety, while improving coordination with partners facing the problem directly. They may see a temporary US deployment as a practical way to share expertise and support a broader campaign, provided operations respect national sovereignty and are subject to oversight.
The case against
Critics can argue that expanding the US military role risks drawing the country deeper into regional conflicts and weakening local control over security policy. The reported deaths from US strikes, alongside Guatemala’s denial of consent for joint operations, sharpen concerns about civilian harm, accountability and whether military pressure can address trafficking without undermining sovereignty.