Guatemala denies agreeing to US strikes against drug traffickers
Summary
Guatemala’s government denied agreeing to let the United States carry out military strikes against drug traffickers on its soil but confirmed it asked for US help with security. Guatemala wants to lead military actions against drug groups with US support, following legal agreements, but is not allowing direct US attacks.Key Facts
- Guatemala’s president, Bernardo Arevalo, said no foreign military operations are authorized in the country.
- The denial followed a report that said Arevalo agreed to US military strikes in Guatemala.
- Guatemala’s defense minister wrote a letter seeking US help to lead operations against drug trafficking groups called “designated terrorist organisations” by the US.
- Guatemala says the request for US help is within current bilateral agreements and follows Guatemalan laws.
- The US has been conducting air strikes against drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing nearly 200 people.
- The US abducted Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in January, accusing him of drug trafficking, and now controls Venezuela’s oil exports.
- Many Latin American countries face problems with gang violence and drug trafficking, and often accept US intelligence help but resist US military intervention.
- Arevalo was elected in 2023 as an anticorruption candidate and declared a state of emergency after gang violence killed police officers.
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