Thursday, August 30, 2012

US Marines Aiding Guatemala

Two hundred US Marines have joined Guatemalan forces in the drug war.

They will be patrolling the country's western coast in an effort to keep drug traffickers from using it.

It is part of Operation Martillo, a joint operation between the US, Belize, Britain, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama and Spain.

Operation Martillo aims to end drug trafficking throughout Central America.


Over the summer Operation Martillo has seen various successes that have nearly completely stopped drug traffickers from being able to use the air.

Now focus has moved to the oceans.

On July 16, Guatemala agreed to the presence of US forces, within their borders, and they arrived in early August.

After arriving, they spent two weeks training and rehearsing their mission, and then began operations earlier this week.

Accompanied by four UH-1 helicopters, the Marines are expected to be on station for about two months.

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