President Donald Trump issued a secret directive to the Pentagon authorizing the use of the armed forces in operations against cartels of drug trafficking foreigners, what Open the door to direct military actions in international territory and waters against these groups.
As he revealed The New York TimesThe order affects Latin American organizations that the Republican Administration has designated terrorists.
According to the American media, the measure marks The most aggressive step so far in Trump’s strategy to stop the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs to the country.
American officials are already working on operational options, although it is not clear the legal framework that would allow to deploy military in traditionally police shares, such as the capture of leaders or the dismantling of networks, he said The country.
The measure is part of a broader offensive against drug trafficking that includes millionaire rewards as the 50 million dollars offered for the capture of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Madurowhom Washington links with the Sinaloa poster.
Trump and the new green light to Pentagon
However, experts warn that military operations in third countries could generate civil victims and diplomatic tensionsespecially with governments of the region.
In parallel, Reuters He informed that the FBI asked local police departments to send names of people with alleged links with cartels and gangs designated as terrorists by Trump – among them the Aragua Train and Mara Salvatrucha – to include them in the terrorist surveillance list created after the attacks of the 11-S.
The petition, sent on May 9, also asks for information on family members and associates of those suspects.
To date, The White House, the Pentagon and the State Department have not issued comments on the directive or on the legal coverage of these operations.
Nor has it been confirmed if the Department of Justice has issued an official opinion about the measure.
