Illicit Coca Crops Play Pivotal Role in Forest Degradation in Latin America, UN Warns
Illicit coca cultivation expanded in the Amazon basin and the Andean region the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) indicated in its Annual Report 2023 released this March. This expansion, the report indicates, significantly impacts local ecosystems and biodiversity, leading to substantial deforestation, soil degradation, and loss of flora [ … ]
China Seeks to Boost Footprint in Latin America, Sales of Defective Military Equipment
China’s attempt to build influence in Latin America includes efforts to forge stronger military ties such as through the sale of military equipment, particularly to countries more economically, politically, and ideologically committed to Beijing, regional defense experts say. For instance, sometime in the first trimester of 2024, according to Argentine [ … ]
Brazil and China: Asymmetric and Troubling Relationship – PART I
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in early 2023 was greeted by the country’s top leader with friendly words. “You are our old friend and a good friend. It was with your attention and support that China-Brazil relations achieved a great [ … ]
Tradewinds 24: Unity and Skills Shine at WPS Challenge
Seeking to test their athleticism and mental agility, teams from eight countries met on the sandy shores of Paragon Army Base, Barbados, for the highly anticipated Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Team Building Challenge, within international exercise Tradewinds 24, May 11. Two-person teams from the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, [ … ]
Brazil, Colombia Step Up Fight Against Transnational Crime in the Amazon
The Brazilian and Colombian armed forces have jointly stepped up the fight against transnational crime in the Amazon. In late April, military authorities from both countries signed an agreement to close in on criminal organizations in the region. “In Brasilia, we signed the Cooperation Plan between the Colombian Military Forces [ … ]
Promoting Effective Joint Logistics in the Western Hemisphere
[caption id="attachment_90854" align="alignleft" width="300"] Students and cadre from JLSAC 1-24 at MARCORLOGCOM. (Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Adrian Cervantes)[/caption] In an era marked by evolving security threats and challenges, fostering cooperation among nations in the Western Hemisphere is paramount to ensuring regional stability and prosperity. For the [ … ]
Ecuador Pledges to Promote Regional Security
Ecuador pledged to strengthen collaboration and coordination among partner nations with the support of AMERIPOL and EUROPOL through the Latin American Interior Security Committee (CLASI), as a strategy to improve security in the hemisphere, Argentine news site Infobae reported. “Today we must confront organized crime without borders,” said Ecuador’s Minister [ … ]
UN Adopts Historic Resolution on AI
The United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly unanimously adopted on March 21 a groundbreaking resolution to ensure the development of “safe, secure, and trustworthy” artificial intelligence (AI). More than 120 member countries supported the U.S.-proposed initiative, the U.N. indicated in a statement. This resolution seeks to reduce the digital divide between [ … ]
Experts Warn about Iran’s Increasing Threat to Latin America
A threatening scenario has been in the making in the region: Iran’s calculated expansion into Latin America. Experts have warned about Tehran’s efforts to establish a foothold in the Western Hemisphere, cozying up to like-minded regimes with the objective of threatening democracy and stability. The region is starting to take [ … ]
Iran’s ‘Soft Power’ in Latin America, Seeking to Mobilize Support
Iran’s patient insertion campaign in Latin America has focused on a “soft power” strategy to consolidate its influence in the region, news platform Latinoamérica21 reported. Tehran increased its approach in 2005, under the administration of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who established ties with Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez. This alliance arose during Iran’s international [ … ]
El Salvador Sends First Female Firefighter to Participate in CENTAM SMOKE
A female firefighter from the El Salvador Fire Department sent its first female firefighter to participate in CENTAM SMOKE at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, from April 22-26, 2024. El Salvador has been participating in CENTAM SMOKE since 2007, but in this iteration, El Salvador sent a female firefighter, increasing [ … ]
Peru, US Strengthen Fight Against Organized Crime
With the aim of creating an elite force to dismantle transnational criminal organizations operating in Peru, more than 300 agents of the Peruvian National Police (PNP) will receive training from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (HSI), the Peruvian government announced. “Given the constant increase in organized crime and narcotrafficking [ … ]