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Miami, Mar. 7 (DPnet).- The Shield of the Americas summit was held in Doral, a district in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where a large Venezuelan community resides.

The summit has forged a powerful regional coalition of Latin American countries committed to collaborating with the United States on decisive ideological and political initiatives that will bolster the security of the Western Hemisphere, as highlighted by the White House. The Shield of the Americas initiative will be guided in part by President Donald Trump’s assertive foreign policy approach, termed the "Donroe Doctrine," a modern interpretation of the historic "Monroe Doctrine." This initiative aims to unite steadfast allies in the Western Hemisphere who share a vision for pan-American progress while actively cultivating and strengthening new partnerships. These alliances will focus on critical objectives, primarily enhancing counter-terrorism efforts in the region and undertaking robust operations to dismantle drug cartels.

Twelve Latin American countries have joined the initiative of President Trump and his Secretary of State, of which eleven presidents and a prime minister were present, including Argentine President Javier Milei, Chilean President-elect José Antonio Kast, Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa, Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele Ortez, and Honduran president Nasry "Tito" Asfura. Also present were the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the presidents of Bolivia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic. 

The "Doral Charter" was signed by all the participants with President Trump, a declaration that describes the "right of the peoples of our hemisphere to shape their own destiny free from interference," while emphasizing democratic governance and free-market principles.  It also commits participating countries to closer cooperation in combating drug cartels, criminal gangs, and illegal migration, as well as enhancing coordination on trade and economic policies. Together, the signatory countries hope to pave the way for a safer and more prosperous future.

President Trump announced the formation of the new coalition, stating, "On this historic day, we gather to announce a new military coalition to root out the criminal cartels that ravage our region, and there are many." He added that the US is "smashing the cartels" and is committed to "reinforcing their fight." His remarks reaffirm his earlier pledge this year to carry out ground strikes against drug cartels, as well as a series of maritime strikes against narco-terrorist vessels in the Caribbean.

In his brief speech after the president’s words, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that "this is a critical moment for our hemisphere", he thanked the leaders participating in the meeting and recognized "the work they do in their countries" and their  "partnership with the United States". He also emphasized that the countries of America represented there "are not allies but friends."

By mid-week, Kristi Noem had been nominated as a envoy under the leadership of Marco Rubio and was present at the summit. She will take office in April. Before flying from Nashville to Miami, she declared that Trump will "announce a grand agreement" detailing "how we are going to pursue cartels and drug trafficking across the western hemisphere." He did not speak during the summit meeting.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly reported in a previous statement that: "After years of neglect, President Trump established the 'Donroe Doctrine' to restore US preeminence in the western hemisphere." She added that the "Shield of the Americas summit will encapsulate their work to strengthen alliances that make the region safer and more stable."

Kevin Sullivan, a former ambassador and vice president of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas and director of the organization’s Washington office, said from the capital that the meeting underscores the importance of sustained collaboration between the United States and regional leaders. "It is always important for the US president to take time to meet with leaders in the Americas," Sullivan declared. "Given the global demands on the presidency - from conflicts in places like Ukraine to tensions with Iran," he said. "It is not easy to devote time to the region." Sullivan added that the meeting comes at a time when many governments in the hemisphere face common challenges, particularly violent crime and transnational criminal organizations.

During the hour-long meeting, Trump also addressed the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the US military in January, calling the operation "18 minutes of pure violence." He recognized the interim leader of the South American nation, Delcy Rodriguez, for "working with us." He added, "She is doing a great job because she is working with us. If she weren’t, I wouldn’t say she is doing so well. In fact, if she didn’t do it, I would say that she’s doing it very badly. Unacceptable."

In addition to this agreement, at least 17 countries have signed another new deal, called the "Anti-Cartel Coalition of the Americas," which, as Trump has pointed out, "is mainly about drugs. The essence of our agreement is a commitment to use lethal military force to destroy sinister cartels and terrorist networks." And he added, "Once and for all, we will get rid of them."