US Army Commander Seeks Economic Supremacy in Western Hemisphere

General Joseph Ryan, commander of the U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command, declared that achieving economic supremacy in the Western Hemisphere is the primary goal of Washington's regional security strategy. Speaking at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting, Ryan stated that the United States has ceded economic control in the region to the People's Republic of China over the last two decades, which he characterized as a major national security threat.

To support this strategy and combat designated terrorist organizations and cartels, the U.S. is expanding its military presence. This includes increasing personnel and aircraft at Joint Task Force Bravo in Honduras and establishing a Coast Guard Expeditionary Cutter Squadron in Panama to protect the Panama Canal.

These efforts follow significant structural changes, including the December 2025 creation of the Western Hemisphere Command and the August activation of Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere. The new task force replaces Operation Southern Spear, a counternarcotics campaign that resulted in over 210 deaths. That operation is currently under investigation by the Defense Department's inspector general due to a lack of evidence regarding drug-trafficking activity.

U.S. officials and partners highlighted the complexity of the threat. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander Jo-Ann Burdian noted the difficulty of separating illicit traffic from legitimate commerce, while Colombian attaché Luis Cardozo emphasized that illegal mining and financing are the primary drivers of cartel economies in Colombia.