Hegseth Shields US Latin America Anti-Drug Navy From ICC Probe

United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned on Wednesday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may attempt to assert jurisdiction over U.S. military operations in Latin America. Speaking in Panama, Hegseth urged members of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition to reject the tribunal, characterizing potential investigations into U.S. maritime strikes as a lawless power grab.

The U.S. military campaign, which targets vessels suspected of drug trafficking, has faced significant criticism from human rights organizations. A July report by the Washington Office on Latin America documented at least 221 deaths linked to these strikes since September 2025, with monitors raising concerns that the operations have resulted in the deaths of civilians, including fishermen and human smuggling victims.

Despite these allegations, the Pentagon maintains that the strikes are lawful and effective. Hegseth reported a 65 percent reduction in narco-vessel movements in the Western Caribbean and a 60 percent decline in the Eastern Caribbean. The administration is currently expanding the coalition, with Colombia becoming the 19th member, and is preparing a 1 billion dollar security package for the Colombian government to support joint operations against organized crime groups.