Russian Propaganda Misleads Audiences in Latin America
Kremlin-controlled media outlets such as RT and Sputnik have amassed a large number of Spanish-speaking followers on social media platforms and spread disinformation to millions, news site Insider reported April 7, 2022.
Ecuadorian Police Seizes More Than 6 tons of Cocaine
Ecuador’s security forces stopped more than 6 tons of cocaine from leaving Guayaquil ports in two operations in early April and mid-March 2022.
Clan del Golfo Military Leader Captured
Colombia’s security forces continue to weaken the Clan del Golfo criminal group, striking hard at its financial structure and hunting down its top leaders. Troops from the Colombian Army’s Fourth Brigade and National Police units captured alias El Viejo, Felipe or Sebastián, who served as an alleged military leader of the Clan del Golfo.
NASA Deploys SOFIA Observatory in Chile
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a joint NASA-German Aerospace Center (DLR) project, completed an observation mission in Chile April 1, where it captured high-resolution celestial images only visible from the Southern Hemisphere.
Brazil Among Hosts of Exercise Viking 22
For the second time, Brazil served as a remote site for Exercise Viking 22, the largest multifunctional simulation of peacekeeping operations worldwide. The exercise, coordinated by the Swedish Ministry of Defense, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense, was carried out simultaneously in five countries: Brazil, Bulgaria, Finland, Qatar, and Sweden, March 28-April 7, 2022.
Colombia Arrests Russian Citizen for Financing Acts Directed at Destabilizing the Country
On March 30, the Colombian Army and the Attorney General’s Office captured in the town of Suba, Bogotá, Russian citizen Sergei Vagin and six Colombians, alleged members of a criminal network that moved millions of dollars to finance operations against the Public Force and organize protests in the country since 2019, Colombian magazine Semana reported.
Central American Firefighters Train Jointly During CENTAM SMOKE
[caption id="attachment_70016" align="alignright" width="300"] A 612th Air Base Squadron instructor guides participants to enter a structure on fire, following established protocol and using the appropriate safety equipment. (Photo: Kay Valle/Diálogo)[/caption]
US Imposes Sanctions on Guatemalan Cartel Los Huistas
The U.S. Treasury Department announced March 18 sanctions against leaders and individuals linked to the Los Huistas cartel because their actions “threaten the people and security of the United States and Guatemala,” the Treasury said in a statement, which also noted a reward for information leading to the capture of the clan’s leader.
US to Designate Colombia as Major Non-NATO Ally
As part of a bilateral meeting between the United States and Colombia, held March 10, 2022 at the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he will declare Colombia a major non-NATO ally, which would give the South American country more privileges in the areas of defense, trade, and security cooperation.
Crimes Against Humanity in Venezuela
The CASLA Institute, a nongovernmental organization (NGO) based in the Czech Republic that monitors democracy in Latin America, presented on March 11, 2022 to the Organization of American States (OAS) the report Crimes against Humanity in Venezuela 2021, which shows the chain of command within the Nicolás Maduro regime and the intensification of tortures against political prisoners.
Iran’s Apparent Supply of Combat Drones to Venezuela Highlights Terrorism Risks
Israel’s contention that its regional foe Iran is helping Venezuela build combat drones is raising concerns that the two anti-U.S. allies could enable such drones to be used for terrorism.
