Shield of the Americas: 15 nations target 24 cartels as 'ISIS of Western Hemisphere'

The Shield of the Americas, a US-led hemispheric security initiative against cartels, has evolved from 17 to 15 signatories after incorporating Chile, with a joint declaration targeting 24 criminal organizations. Trump's framing of cartels as 'ISIS of the Western Hemisphere' signals potential escalation in US-led counter-narcotics operations, though the initiative's membership decline suggests diplomatic friction. The move could reshape regional security cooperation and US-Latin America relations.