Chicago – March 06, 2026
President Donald Trump convened the “Shield of Americas” summit at his Trump National Doral Miami golf resort on March 7, 2026, bringing together leaders from 12 Latin American nations.
The gathering focused on forging a regional counter-cartel coalition to promote security, prosperity, and counter-drug cooperation while countering Chinese influence in the Western Hemisphere.
Trump urged the leaders to unite against cartels, likening them to ISIS and calling Mexico the “epicenter of cartel violence.” Attendees included presidents from Argentina, El Salvador, Ecuador, Paraguay, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago, among ideologically aligned figures like Javier Milei and Nayib Bukele.
The summit followed a U.S. military operation capturing Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro on drug charges, with Trump praising interim leader Delcy Rodríguez.
Key U.S. officials present were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and special envoy Kristi Noem. Seventeen nations signed a joint security declaration committing to lethal military force against cartels and foreign interference.
Trump emphasized the “Monroe doctrine” revival, vowing no hostile powers like China would gain footholds, including in the Panama Canal.
