This Saturday, President Donald Trump led a regional meeting in Florida alongside leaders from Hispanic America, where he signed a Proclamation of Commitment to Counter the Criminal Activity of Cartels, marking the beginning of a new hemispheric strategy against drug trafficking and organized crime.
President Donald J. Trump with leaders from across Latin America at the Shield of the Americas Summit. pic.twitter.com/f9mBTSANei
The meeting took place during the Shield of the Americas Summit, held at the Trump National Doral Miami complex in the city of Doral, Florida.
There, Trump and representatives from several countries announced the formation of a new regional alliance called the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, whose goal is to dismantle drug cartels and transnational criminal networks operating in the Western Hemisphere.
A Coalition to Confront Drug Trafficking
During his speech, Trump stated that cartels represent a direct threat to the security and stability of Hispanic America and the United States.
Introducing the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, designed to crush dangerous criminal cartels in the Western Hemisphere.
“The heart of our agreement is a commitment to using lethal military force to destroy the sinister cartels and terrorist networks.” – President Donald J.… pic.twitter.com/zPr8ghkoBk
The president announced that the United States and allied countries will coordinate intelligence, military resources, and security operations to confront these organizations.
“On this historic day we announce a new coalition to eradicate the criminal cartels that are plaguing our region,” Trump declared to the gathered leaders.
El presidente Trump de EE.UU. @realDonaldTrump acompañado por varios líderes de Hispanoamérica, firmó ayer una Proclamación de Compromiso para Contrarrestar la Actividad Criminal de los Cárteles de la Droga en el Hemisferio. pic.twitter.com/T2qo6xbfYE
Military cooperation among countries of the hemisphere
Intelligence sharing on criminal organizations
Joint training of security forces
According to the proclamation signed by the U.S. president, the goal is to deprive cartels of territory, financing, and logistical resources to prevent them from continuing to expand their violence.
The So-Called “Doral Charter”
The agreement reached at the summit has also been informally called the “Doral Charter,” a framework for regional cooperation to combat narco-terrorism and transnational criminal networks.
Among the most notable points of the agreement are:
Authorization to use military force against criminal infrastructure
Trump emphasized that these organizations should not be treated merely as criminal gangs but as threats that operate using methods comparable to terrorism.
“They are not just criminals. They are terrorists who threaten our communities,” he said.
Hispanic American Leaders Support the Initiative
The coalition has the backing of multiple governments in Hispanic America and the Caribbean. Leaders present included Argentine President Javier Milei, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, and Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa, among other regional heads of state.
U.S. officials indicated that up to 17 countries have committed to participating in the new regional coalition.
Statements Regarding Mexico and the Cartels
During his remarks, Trump also noted that Mexico faces a serious crisis of cartel-related violence.
The U.S. president mentioned Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, whom he described as “a very good person,” while insisting that cartel-driven violence continues to be a challenge for regional security.
Mexico did not formally participate in the summit, reflecting existing differences over the role that foreign military forces could play in anti-narcotics operations.
A New Chapter in Hemispheric Security
The proclamation states that the United States will use all available resources and necessary legal authorities to confront cartels alongside its allies.
Analysts believe this initiative could represent one of the largest regional cooperation efforts against drug trafficking in decades.
María Herrera Mellado es una abogada y analista política muy respetada. Licenciada en Derecho en EE.UU. y España, también tiene un doctorado en Ciencias Jurídicas y varios títulos de la Universidad de Granada (España), de la Universidad de Arizona y de la Florida International University. Con amplia experiencia en derecho internacional, asesoría en inversiones, representación en inmigración, y protección de la privacidad y lucha anticorrupción, ha asesorado a organizaciones y políticos europeos, estadounidenses e hispanoamericanos. Ha escrito sobre seguridad nacional e inmigración, protección de datos, derecho constitucional, consumo financiero y derecho bancario en revistas internacionales y coescribió libros publicados en Perú y Colombia. Es reconocida por su servicio comunitario en EE.UU. y es considerada una de las mujeres más influyentes de Florida. Es experta en varios idiomas y participa frecuentemente en debates en canales como Univisión, Fox, France 24, Telemundo y es la Editora Jefe de Gateway Hispanic.
