Military, police and legal officials from both countries have mounted a complex structure to combat the trafficking of drugs, people and weapons, among other crimes.
Honduras and Guatemala have created the High-Level Group on Security and Justice (GANSEJ, for its Spanish acronym) to cooperate in the fight against organized crime activities in the border region the two countries share.
The operations of this elite team were formalized on March 24 in the shared border region of El Florido. GANSEJ is being led by the the Maya-Chortí Binational Task Force, comprised of 200 members of the Guatemalan and Honduran Armies, as well as a few hundred police officers and civilian criminal justice officials.
“This is the first force that we have developed in conjunction with Honduras,” Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina explained at the announcement. “It’s an important high-level security initiative to improve security, particularly along the border.”
Troops from both nations are taking control of the 256-kilometer land border between Honduras and Guatemala by performing constant surveillance, strict control of landing areas, control of unauthorized passages, reconnaissance, raids, arrests, and military intelligence. GANSEJ is focusing on organized crime, drug trafficking, and related criminal enterprises, such as arms smuggling and human trafficking.
The security effort is creating air, sea, and ground shields to stop organized criminal activities, said Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández.
“We want to replicate this land shield with Guatemala along the border with Nicaragua,” President Hernández explained. “We already have the maritime shield in the Caribbean and we’re looking at how to structure the maritime shield in the Pacific. In this way we are complementing what Honduras must develop in terms of security to protect our borders.”
Bringing security to the border region
GANSEJ is bringing security to a region that has been turbulent because of organized criminal activity.
“We’re going to establish a peaceful region with many opportunities for both countries,” Honduran Secretary of Defense Samuel Reyes Rendón said in a statement.
In Honduras, Troops will be deployed in the northwestern departments of Santa Bárbara, Copán, and Ocotepeque. In Guatemala, GANSEJ forces will operate in the departments of El Progreso, Chiquimula, and Izabal.
Security effort could serve as a model for Central America
The security operation could become a model for combating organized crime throughout Central America.
“This will be part of the effort to create a climate of security along this border area,” said General Freddy Díaz Zelaya, chief of the Honduran Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces. “Hopefully these steps being taken by Honduras and Guatemala can be taken by other countries,” said Gen. Zelaya in March, during the closing of the Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC 2015), sponsored by U.S. Southern Command.
The Maya-Chortí Force will focus on detecting and stopping organized criminal enterprises, such as drug trafficking. Narcotraffickers transport cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs to Mexico and the United States through Central America.
Honduras and Guatemala have created the High-Level Group on Security and Justice (GANSEJ, for its Spanish acronym) to cooperate in the fight against organized crime activities in the border region the two countries share.
The operations of this elite team were formalized on March 24 in the shared border region of El Florido. GANSEJ is being led by the the Maya-Chortí Binational Task Force, comprised of 200 members of the Guatemalan and Honduran Armies, as well as a few hundred police officers and civilian criminal justice officials.
“This is the first force that we have developed in conjunction with Honduras,” Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina explained at the announcement. “It’s an important high-level security initiative to improve security, particularly along the border.”
Troops from both nations are taking control of the 256-kilometer land border between Honduras and Guatemala by performing constant surveillance, strict control of landing areas, control of unauthorized passages, reconnaissance, raids, arrests, and military intelligence. GANSEJ is focusing on organized crime, drug trafficking, and related criminal enterprises, such as arms smuggling and human trafficking.
The security effort is creating air, sea, and ground shields to stop organized criminal activities, said Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández.
“We want to replicate this land shield with Guatemala along the border with Nicaragua,” President Hernández explained. “We already have the maritime shield in the Caribbean and we’re looking at how to structure the maritime shield in the Pacific. In this way we are complementing what Honduras must develop in terms of security to protect our borders.”
Bringing security to the border region
GANSEJ is bringing security to a region that has been turbulent because of organized criminal activity.
“We’re going to establish a peaceful region with many opportunities for both countries,” Honduran Secretary of Defense Samuel Reyes Rendón said in a statement.
In Honduras, Troops will be deployed in the northwestern departments of Santa Bárbara, Copán, and Ocotepeque. In Guatemala, GANSEJ forces will operate in the departments of El Progreso, Chiquimula, and Izabal.
Security effort could serve as a model for Central America
The security operation could become a model for combating organized crime throughout Central America.
“This will be part of the effort to create a climate of security along this border area,” said General Freddy Díaz Zelaya, chief of the Honduran Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces. “Hopefully these steps being taken by Honduras and Guatemala can be taken by other countries,” said Gen. Zelaya in March, during the closing of the Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC 2015), sponsored by U.S. Southern Command.
The Maya-Chortí Force will focus on detecting and stopping organized criminal enterprises, such as drug trafficking. Narcotraffickers transport cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs to Mexico and the United States through Central America.
I congratulate you What you do is good, good job. Congratulations. Excellent Congratulations on the reporting on the Armed Forces of different countries, it helps cultural heritage and knowledge of the subjects of interest with regard to the missions and polices of the activities carried out by the armies. Respectful regards Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry, Retired. Guatemala, June 22, 2015. CHEPE BARNOYA, WHAT A GOOD ARTICLE. I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK YOU TO LOOK AT MY ARTICLES ON PLAZA OPINIÓN@GMAIL.COM