Marines train Central American allies to battle ruthless cartels

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  • Cpl. Dennis Castellanos, a rifleman in the Batall—n de Infanter’a de Marina, stands guard at a base in La Ceiba, Honduras, on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Honduran marines from the Batall—n de Infanter’a de Marina depart their base in La Ceiba on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 for an unexpected security mission. The marines often perform missions more aligned with police work than a typical military role. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • First Lt. Felipe Bayona, left, the OIC of a Marine security cooperation team, speaks with Ensign Oscar Ponce of the Batall—n de Infanter’a de Marina at the BIM’s base in La Ceiba, Honduras on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Honduran marines wash up and do laundry at their base in La Ceiba, Honduras, on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. The base, a compound that once belonged to a drug lord, lacks running water. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Honduran marines wash up and do laundry at their base in La Ceiba, Honduras, on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. The base, a compound that once belonged to a drug lord, lacks running water. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Marine 1st Lt. Felipe Bayona served as OIC for a security cooperation team working Honduran marines in La Ceiba, Honduras, on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • First Lt. Vidal Rodriguez, right, is the OIC of the incoming security cooperation team assigned to work with Honduran marines in La Ceiba, Honduras, on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Honduran marines decorated their barracks with their insignia at a base in La Ceiba, Honduras. The base had previously belonged to a drug lord and was seized by the Honduran military. The inscription translates literally as, “Men of the sea with the heart in the land.” (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Honduran marines from the Batall—n de Infanter’a de Marina depart their base in La Ceiba on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 for an unexpected security mission. The marines often perform missions more aligned with police work than a typical military role. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Marines with a security cooperation team work with Guatemalan marines during a train-the-trainer session at the Brigada de Infanter’a de Marina base in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, on Wednesday, June 4, 2014. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Marines with a security cooperation team work with Guatemalan marines during a train-the-trainer session at the Brigada de Infanter’a de Marina base in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, on Wednesday, June 4, 2014. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Col. Medardo Monterroso Suarez [CHECK NAME WITH GINA H], Commandant of the Guatemalan Brigada de Infanter’a de Marina, discusses working with the U.S. Marine Corps in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, on Wednesday, June 4, 2014. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Marines with a security cooperation team work with Guatemalan marines during a train-the-trainer session at the Brigada de Infanter’a de Marina base in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, on Wednesday, June 4, 2014. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • First Lt. Zachary Devlin-Foltz served as OIC for a security cooperation team working with Guatemalan marines in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. (Mike Morones/Staff)
  • Brig. Gen. David Jones, Commander of the Belize Defence Force, talks about working with Marines at Price Barracks in Ladyville, Belize, on Thursday, June 5, 2014. (Mike Morones/Staff)