Hegseth cautions that ICC may investigate US boat strikes in Latin America

United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has warned that the International Criminal Court (ICC) could investigate US military actions in Latin America, including strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean decried by rights groups as extrajudicial killings.Hegseth made the statement during a speech in Panama as he pledged to strengthen a military coalition launched in March with several Latin American countries to target drug cartels, whom the administration of US President Donald Trump has branded “narco-terrorists”.On Wednesday, Hegseth said Colombia, under newly elected right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella, would become the 19th country to join the so-called Shield of the Americas, also known as the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC) or “A triple C”.He called on all members of the coalition to reject the ICC, an appeal that comes amid an “all of government” effort by the Trump administration to “disable” the international tribunal.Hegseth claimed that “the international left, along with their enabling left-wing media, is plotting to unlawfully assert International Criminal Court jurisdiction over US and partner military personnel and operations...