Since August 2018, a woman with an inclusive vision has been at the helm of the Paraguayan Vice Ministry of National Defense. It is Colonel (ret.) Gladys Pecci, who is committed to strengthening women’s empowerment programs in the Paraguayan Armed Forces. Col. Pecci met with Diálogo at her ministerial office [ … ]
A Conversation With


Paraguayan Armed Forces Cast Futuristic Vision
Army General (ret.) Bernardino Soto Estigarribia, Paraguayan minister of Defense, met with Diálogo at the Ministry of National Defense to talk about the progress of the Military Forces and their projects for the future. Diálogo: What is your greatest challenge? Army General (ret.) Bernardino Soto Estigarribia, Paraguayan minister of Defense: I [ … ]

Peruvian Armed Forces Face New Security Challenges
Diálogo met with General Manuel Jesús Martín Gómez de la Torre Araníbar, chief of the Peruvian Armed Forces’ Joint Command (CCFFAA, in Spanish) to discuss military advances in the fight against criminal organizations. Diálogo: What are your main goals as chief of the CCFFAA? General Manuel Jesús Martín Gómez de la [ … ]

Dominican Republic Air Force Welcomes First Female Pilot at the Command of Combat Squadron
Lieutenant Colonel Pilot María Tejada Quintana, age 38, has set a milestone in her country’s aviation history by becoming the first female pilot to lead the Dominican Air Force Combat Squadron. Diálogo spoke with Lt. Col. Tejada about her achievements in her country’s aviation history. Diálogo: What does it mean [ … ]

Women in the Colombian Army: Groundbreaking Standard-bearer
When she graduated with a Mass Communications degree (journalist) from the Externado University of Colombia in 1994, young Jhasmin Mora Cuellar knew exactly what she wanted to do in life. That’s why, two years later, she enrolled in the General José María Córdova Military Academy, where she graduated as a [ … ]

Woman at the Command of C-130 Hercules for the First Time in the Colombian Air Force
On August 9, 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Silvana Díaz Bohórquez marked a milestone in the history of the Colombian Air Force, by becoming the first woman pilot-in-command of a C-130 Hercules aircraft. Lt. Col. Díaz, who has 22 years of military service, spoke with Diálogo about her achievements and her [ … ]

SS-22 Carrera Submarine Commander Discusses Diesel-Electric Submarine Initiative and Training with the US
Five thousand nautical miles and nearly 30 days at sea — that’s the distance and time it took a Chilean submarine to travel from its home base in Talcahuano, Chile, to Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California, to participate in the Diesel-Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI) with the U.S. [ … ]

Chilean Submarine Forces Commander: Chile and the United States Have a Common Vision on the Importance of Navies
The SS Carrera, a Chilean Navy Scorpène-class submarine, participated in the Diesel-Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI) exercise at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California, which took place from June to September 2021. DESI is a U.S. Navy exercise with South American countries that supports their operations with diesel-electric submarines [ … ]

Colombian Army Has New Protection Capabilities
General Eduardo Enrique Zapateiro Altamiranda, commander of the Colombian Army, is committed to the fight against the country’s organized and remnant armed groups with international cooperation to confront transnational narcotrafficking threats. Diálogo spoke with Gen. Zapateiro about these issues at the Army Command headquarters in Bogotá. Diálogo: What are the [ … ]

JTF-Bravo: Regional Partner for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Response
Diálogo visited the installations of Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-Bravo) in Honduras to interview their commander, U.S. Army Colonel Steven E. Gventer. Diálogo: What are your goals as JTF-Bravo commander? U.S. Army Colonel Steven Gventer, JFT-Bravo commander: My goal is to ensure that, coming out of COVID-19, we build a climate that [ … ]

Joint Special Operations Command, a Strategic Weapon for Colombia’s Security
The Colombian Military Forces’ Joint Special Operations Command (CCOES, in Spanish) began operations in April 2009. Its commander, Colombian Army Major General Jorge Isaac Hoyos Rojas, spoke with Diálogo during a visit to the CCOES headquarters in Bogotá in August 2021, to discuss the command’s mission and interagency work, among [ … ]

Suriname Army Commander Addresses Regional Challenges at Defense Conference
Diálogo met with Colonel Henri van Axeldongen, commander of the Suriname National Army at the South American Defense Conference held in Miami, Florida on August 17-18, where he spoke about regional challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effects of the space domain on national security. Diálogo: What are the greatest [ … ]