# Hegseth in Panama as 19 Nations Join Cartel Coalition 2026-08-13T09:44:16+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Times Now reports that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Jungle Operations Training Centre in Panama as 19 nations concluded a two-day meeting to launch the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C), also called Shield of the Americas. Hegseth said the US will work 'shoulder-to-shoulder' with partners to dismantle cartels, and announced the motto: 'We do bad things to bad people.' The coalition, launched by President Trump in March, targets drug trafficking, illegal migration and foreign influence. Members agreed to refine campaign plans, assign lead nations and produce a formal plan by November. Hegseth called the visit a sign of commitment to train in difficult terrain. 'No environment is too harsh,' he said. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com Tags: A3C, counter-cartel coalition, drug cartels, Hegseth, Panama, US Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/hegseth-in-panama-as-19-nations-join-cartel-coalition/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/hegseth-in-panama-as-19-nations-join-cartel-coalition/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.