South America

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Chile Strengthens Port Controls as China’s Fishing Fleet Expands Logistics Network

Amid growing international scrutiny of China’s distant-water fishing fleet over allegations of illegal fishing, forced labor, and concerns about its implications for maritime security, Chilean authorities have stepped up inspections of foreign fishing vessels arriving at the country’s ports following a sharp increase in requests from Chinese-flagged ships to call there. One such operation took place in June 2026 and…

Central America

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Guatemala, US Elite Forces Partnership Strengthens Fight Against Transnational Crime

As transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) become increasingly sophisticated, Guatemala continues to strengthen its special operations capabilities through sustained cooperation with U.S. special operations forces. That strategic partnership was demonstrated during a March 2026 exercise in Poptún, Petén Department, where U.S. Army Green Berets assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) trained alongside personnel from the Guatemalan Army’s Naval Special…

Caribbean

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Caribbean Integrates Citizen Reporting into Regional Intelligence

Criminal organizations operating in the Caribbean exploit maritime routes, illicit markets, and multiple jurisdictions to move drugs, weapons, and other illegal goods. Against networks that operate across national borders, information provided by local communities can become an operational asset when it is protected, evaluated, and connected with data from other countries. With that goal in mind, the Caribbean Community Implementation…

Spotlight Interviews

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Academia

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Advanced Capabilities Needed to Counter China-Russia Space Weapon Cooperation

This article was originally published on U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Magazine Forum, on August 3, 2026. China and Russia are expanding cooperation on space capabilities to degrade, disrupt or destroy military satellites as well as commercial constellations such as SpaceX’s Starlink. Beijing and Moscow are sharing expertise, coordinating policies and investing in counterspace options that go beyond traditional anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles.…

Special Report

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Ecuador at the Crossroads of Transnational Crime: Violence, Criminal Reconfiguration, and Regional Challenges – PART II

For decades, Ecuador was perceived as an exception in a region plagued by drug trafficking, armed violence, and criminal capture of the state. While neighboring countries faced open wars between cartels and state forces, Ecuador seemed to remain on the sidelines of these dynamics. That image began to slowly crack and finally collapsed in January 2024, when President Daniel Noboa…

Photo Galleries

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