• Trump launches a 17-nation "counter cartel" coalition at the summit.
• He advocates for military action against drug cartels, declaring them a "cancer."
• Military support includes the offer of U.S. missile strikes against cartel leaders.
• Cuba is described as being in its "last moments of life," indicating potential U.S. intervention.
• Several Latin American leaders are present, but key nations like Mexico and Brazil are notably absent.

At the “Shield of the Americas” summit held at his Doral golf club in Miami, US President Donald Trump called on Latin American nations to combat the rising power of drug cartels using military force. He proposed the use of US missile strikes to support these nations, stating, “We’ll use missiles. You want us to use a missile? They’re extremely accurate,” which reflects a significant shift towards military intervention in drug policy, according to SCMP and Dawn.

Trump emphasized the urgency of eradicating drug cartels, describing them as “a cancer” threatening national security across the hemisphere. He outlined a formal pledge through a coalition of 17 countries present at the summit, highlighting the necessity of military action to eliminate these criminal organizations. “The only way to defeat these enemies is by unleashing the power of our militaries. We have to use our military,” he reiterated, drawing comparisons to past U.S.-led military operations against groups like ISIS, according to Al Jazeera and Le Monde.

Cuban officials were notably absent from the summit, reflecting Trump's hostility towards the communist-led government, which he labeled as being in its "last moments of life." He stated, “I’ll take care of Cuba,” and expressed disdain for Cuba's economy and governance, framing the island as a potential target following military actions taken in Venezuela and Iran, as reported by Los Angeles Times and Channel News Asia.

In addition to discussing military strategies, the summit's participants included leaders from countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and several Caribbean nations. However, significant absences from Mexico and Brazil, both led by leftist governments, raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of this coalition against narcotrafficking, as noted by analysts like Irene Mia from the International Institute for Strategic Studies. She pointed out that without the involvement of these major players, the coalition may struggle to address the complexities of the drug trafficking issue effectively, according to SCMP, Al Jazeera, and Los Angeles Times.

The recent operations between the United States and Ecuador to combat drug trafficking were highlighted, with Trump lauding their efforts. This cooperation symbolizes a shift back to aggressive counter-narcotics strategies in the region. Recent joint military operations led to significant captures and strikes against narcotraffickers, exemplifying Trump’s assertion that only military force can sufficiently counteract the cartels' influence, according to Le Monde and Channel News Asia.