What the US militarisation of Latin America could look like

By Carlos H Brandt S. Published On 6 Sep 20266 Sep 2026.

What happened

Latin America is seeing growing military activity by the United States. While US office-holders are deepening ties and cooperation with Latin American militaries, under the umbrella of the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition (ACCC), introduced by President Donald Trump in March, US forces are carrying out strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking.

As left-wing politics decline, this reflects the growing push from Washington towards militarisation of the region. For Latin America, this may spell the return of coercive US policies.

The bottom line

In short, what the US militarisation of Latin America could look like is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.