A large portion of Colombia’s Blackhawk helicopter fleet has been rendered non-operational following a U.S. aid moratorium.
Eighteen helicopters used by the National Police’s counter-narcotics force and twelve army aircraft with attack capabilities were grounded last Thursday.
Analysts speaking to The Bogotá Post fear the blow to police and military airpower may impact the government’s capacity to carry out operations against armed actors and narcotics trafficking.
In his first 24 hours in office, Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,” effectively freezing all foreign aid for 90 days.
Within days, the decree began to impact the situation on the ground in Colombia.
U.S. support played a key role in Colombia’s aerial operations as many of its helicopters were on loan from Washington. Additionally, maintenance of some of the aircraft owned by the Colombian government depended on U.S. contracts which have since been cancelled.
Elizabeth Dickinson, Senior Colombia Analyst at International Crisis Group, explains the importance of air support in Colombia.
“Colombia is a place where the terrain is very complex. Sending troops into rural areas, resupplying them, all of that requires air support and conducting operations even more so,” she told The Bogotá Post.
The ongoing situation in Catatumbo exemplifies the critical role of air support, with helicopters essential to supporting military and humanitarian operations in the remote region.
The conflict between rival armed groups in the country’s northeast Norte de Santander department has left as many as 50,000 people displaced and an estimated 80 dead, making it the worst humanitarian crisis in a decade.
“It’s not an opportune time for such a significant portion of the air fleet to be grounded,” Dickinson notes.
Beyond Catatumbo, Washington’s measures have undermined police operations in other historically embattled regions.
An unnamed police source described to W Radio the impact of the helicopters being grounded.
“The supply and air support around remote police stations in Chocó, Nariño, Putumayo, Guaviare, Guainía are exposed to operations and possible attacks,” said the source.
Colombian security forces’ weakened operational capacity will likely have knock-on effects for regional security, the narcotics trade and migration, according to analysts.
Sergio Guzmán, Director of Colombia Risk Analysis, believes that Trump’s withdrawal of support for Colombia’s military is a mistake.
“Having partners like Colombia and critically the Colombian military closely engaging with the U.S…. is a very important partnership that ought to be maintained,” the analyst told The Bogotá Post.
Guzmán warned that Trump’s aid freeze could backfire, intensifying the drug and migration crisis that underpinned the president’s electoral promises.
For now, given the urgent security crisis it faces, Colombia’s government will have to make do with the resources it has.
