Trump Gathers Latin American Leaders to Launch 'Shield of the Americas' Alliance

New military pact aims to 'eliminate the cartels' from the Western Hemisphere

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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President Donald Trump convened a meeting of 14 Latin American leaders at his Trump National Doral Miami resort to announce the creation of the 'Shield of the Americas', a new military alliance focused on combating drug cartels and terrorist networks in the region. Trump also used the occasion to reiterate his stance on Cuba, Venezuela, and the Panama Canal.

Why it matters

The formation of this new regional security alliance signals a shift in US foreign policy towards a more assertive, militarized approach to addressing issues like drug trafficking and organized crime in Latin America. It also represents an effort by the Trump administration to exert greater influence over the region and counter the perceived 'hostile foreign influence' of countries like Cuba and Venezuela.

The details

The meeting was attended by leaders from 14 countries, including Argentina, El Salvador, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was notably absent, as she has rejected US aid to fight the cartels. Trump announced that 17 nations have formally joined the 'Shield of the Americas' alliance, which he said will use 'lethal military force to destroy sinister cartels and terrorist networks'.

  • The meeting took place on Saturday, March 9, 2026 at the Trump National Doral Miami resort.
  • Trump stated that he is currently negotiating directly with the Cuban government through Cuban-born US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The players

Donald Trump

The former US President who convened the meeting and announced the creation of the 'Shield of the Americas' alliance.

Marco Rubio

The Cuban-born US Secretary of State who is leading negotiations with the Cuban government on behalf of the Trump administration.

Claudia Sheinbaum

The President of Mexico who was not invited to the meeting as she has rejected US aid to fight the cartels.

Delcy Rodríguez

The interim President of Venezuela, whose government Trump has formally recognized.

José Raúl Mulino

The President of Panama, with whom Trump discussed the Panama Canal.

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What they’re saying

“The essence of our agreement is a commitment to use lethal military force to destroy sinister cartels and terrorist networks.”

— Donald Trump, President (yahoo.com)

“They want to negotiate and I think an agreement will be reached very easily.”

— Donald Trump, President (yahoo.com)

What’s next

The G20 summit is scheduled to be held later this year at the Trump National Doral Miami resort, where the 'Shield of the Americas' alliance was launched.

The takeaway

The creation of the 'Shield of the Americas' alliance represents a significant shift in US foreign policy towards Latin America, moving away from diplomatic engagement and towards a more militarized approach to addressing regional challenges. This could have far-reaching implications for the geopolitical dynamics in the Western Hemisphere.