Peru Joins US-Led Coalition Against Drug Cartels
Peru will join the US-led Shield of the Americas coalition against drug cartels, President Keiko Fujimori announced after meeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Lima on Thursday.
The country’s participation is intended to speed up intelligence sharing and strengthen joint operations against criminal groups operating across borders. According to Rubio, the initiative aims to protect the region from organizations that threaten state sovereignty. Peru’s foreign ministry had flagged the move in recent months as part of broader efforts to strengthen border security and coordination against transnational crime.
The meeting marked the highest-level US visit to Peru since Donald Trump returned to the White House. Washington is seeking to deepen security and trade ties with conservative governments in Latin America while limiting Chinese influence in mining and infrastructure. Peru is the world’s third-largest copper producer.
In January, the United States designated Peru a major non-NATO ally, while the State Department approved a possible $1.5bn foreign military sale for design and construction work at the Callao naval base, Peru’s main naval hub near Lima.
Rubio’s visit concluded a tour of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru focused on counternarcotics, migration and trade. In Lima, officials also discussed US support for Peru’s preparations for a possible El Niño emergency.
(Reuters, bak)