At a March summit of Latin American leaders in Mexico City, President Donald Trump outlined an aggressive strategy to combat regional criminal organizations, proposing the use of precision missile strikes against cartel figures. This approach was realized earlier this month with a targeted kinetic strike that killed Héctor “El Niño” Guerrero, the alleged head of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang. The Trump administration described the operation as a significant step in applying counterterrorism tactics—traditionally used against Islamist militant groups in the Middle East—to Latin American criminal networks designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
Guerrero was located in a remote shack in the Venezuelan countryside when the strike was carried out, marking a shift in U.S. policy that blurs distinctions between drug traffickers and foreign terrorist groups. The administration has increasingly adopted a hardline posture, moving beyond traditional law enforcement measures such as intercepting drug shipments. U.S. forces have reportedly fired on vessels suspected of involvement in narcotics trafficking, sometimes without warning, and with casualties exceeding 200.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth framed the killing of Guerrero as akin to eliminating jihadist leaders, asserting that the United States is treating violent Latin American criminal groups under the same counterterrorism framework as al-Qaeda and ISIS. “This is a huge deal,” Hegseth said, emphasizing the ability to locate and kill such figures remotely. Critics, however, question the legality and efficacy of this approach. Mary Ellen O’Connell, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, argued that such actions contravene lawful counterterrorism practices, contending that Guerrero should have faced arrest and trial rather than an extrajudicial killing.
The Trump administration has justified the strike as a form of retribution for crimes committed by undocumented Venezuelan migrants in the United States believed to be connected to Tren de Aragua. In a social media statement, Trump emphasized the goal of expelling “monsters” from the country and delivering justice to victims’ families. Patrick Weaver, deputy chief of staff to Hegseth, added that Guerrero’s death sends a clear message that narco-terrorists will find no sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere. White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales indicated that similar targeted operations would continue against groups viewed as threats, whether motivated by ideology or profit.
The administration’s campaign has extended beyond targeted killings. In a related development, 238 Venezuelan migrants alleged to have ties to Tren de Aragua were sent to a large detention facility in El Salvador. Additionally, U.S. forces, collaborating with Ecuadorian authorities, conducted a bombing raid in March on what was identified as a drug camp. Both governments have pledged to enhance their cooperative efforts.
Former U.S. diplomat James Story expressed concern regarding the shift from multilateral law enforcement strategies toward unilateral military actions by U.S. forces. Noting that such operations have occurred only with host nation approval to date, Story warned of potential sovereignty violations should strikes expand without consent, especially in countries like Mexico. Trump has publicly stated that he requested permission from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to conduct operations within Mexico, but Sheinbaum declined, asserting her preference for cooperation over interference.
Analysts caution that removing cartel leaders through targeted killings or arrests does not necessarily weaken criminal organizations. History suggests such “kingpin” strategies can fuel further violence and enable more capable successors to consolidate power, as seen following the 2021 arrest of Colombian drug lord Dairo Antonio ‘Otoniel’ Úsuga, after which the Clan del Golfo expanded under new leadership. The Trump administration’s application of war-on-terror methods to Latin American crime groups presents a controversial and evolving chapter in U.S. counter-narcotics and counterterrorism policy.