The Pentagon decided to remove the head of the US Southern Command, Admiral Alvin Holsey, after he raised concerns about the legality of the attacks carried out in Caribbean waters against vessels accused of transporting drugs.
As revealed by the American newspaper The Wall Street Journalthe action was taken under pressure from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who requested Holsey’s resignation after months of disagreements over the conduct of military operations.
The report notes that although it was officially presented as a retirement, it was actually a forced dismissal, motivated by the admiral’s objections to the deadly raids that have left dozens dead in the region.
Internal disagreements in the Pentagon
Holsey would have questioned not only the legality of bombing suspicious ships, but also the fact that parts of the operation were outside his direct control. These differences generated distrust in Hegseth, who suspected that the admiral could be a source of leaks to the press.
The Secretary of War insisted that orders had to be carried out without question, which deepened the confrontation with Holsey and led to his departure from office less than a year after assuming leadership of the Southern Command.
Regional context and implications
US military operations in the Caribbean have been justified under the argument of combating drug trafficking and terrorism, but they have received criticism from Latin American governments and international organizations. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that these types of attacks are not compatible with international law.
Since September, the US Army has carried out at least 21 raids on ships allegedly linked to drug trafficking, leaving 83 people dead, which has generated reports of extrajudicial executions and demands for justice from affected countries such as Venezuela and Colombia.
