More than 100 participants representing Western Hemisphere militaries, governments, nongovernmental organizations, and academia gathered in the Conference Center of the Americas at the headquarters of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) December 1 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of SOUTHCOM’s Human Rights Initiative (HRI). Rooted in SOUTHCOM’s efforts to promote a culture of [ … ]
Colombia and the United States consistently seek to bolster their military relationship by increasing the capabilities of their senior noncommissioned officers (NCOs) and strengthening their professional development program. In that vein, Colombian and U.S. Army NCOs met for the 17th iteration of U.S. Army South-led Senior NCOs Integral Program (PISAJ), [ … ]
The William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies recently convened representatives from the Latin American and Caribbean diplomatic community for its 2022 Washington Security and Defense Seminar (WSDS), held November 1-3, in Washington, D.C. The annual three-day seminar featured more than 30 top officials, scholars, and policy experts who [ … ]
Peru and Bolivia committed to join and strengthen their efforts to combat narcotrafficking during the IX Meeting of the Bolivian-Peruvian Joint Commission held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, in late September. Exchanging information on illegal narco aircraft that fly over the airspace on the border between both nations and exchanging experiences [ … ]
Bilateral exercises are an important part of building relationships between nations and enhancing the abilities of partner nation armies to work together through various missions and problem sets. The week-long Exercise Southern Vanguard 23 (ExSV23), which kicked off at Tolemaida Military Base in Colombia on November 9, is U.S. Army [ … ]
“Improvisation never succeeds” could sum up the Caribbean Basin Coastal Surveillance and Maritime Security Summit (CABSEC) and the South American Security Summit (SAMSEC) 2022. Rear Admiral Exón Ascencio, deputy chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Salvadoran Armed Forces, made the statement during his presentation at the event [ … ]
Sonia Waldikia González Barahona, 39, waited more than a year for a surgery after she was diagnosed with an incarcerated umbilical hernia. Swollen belly, sharp abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting were part of her daily symptoms. As her pain increased, Sonia, a mother of three, had to quit her housekeeping [ … ]
Fishing communities along South America’s west coast face threats from illegal fishing, climate change, and pollution. “There are fewer fish, and we must go out to sea for days to find fish,” said Ricardo Laos, president of the José Silverio Olaya Balandra Association of Artisanal Fishermen of Caleta de Chorrillos [ … ]
For the first time, U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), sailing toward Latin America and the Caribbean as part of U.S. Southern Command- (SOUTHCOM) sponsored humanitarian mission Continuing Promise 2022, is breaking down gender barriers by expanding the perspective on traditional security and health issues. The current mission [ … ]
For 25 years, the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies has been seeking to establish ties of cooperation among the different countries of Latin America, creating a network of professionals who are leaders in security and defense in the hemisphere, and able to offer shared solutions to contemporary [ … ]
Arkansas Air National Guard members worked alongside U.S. and foreign military forces, government officials, and civilian personnel to provide humanitarian assistance through medical care in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, from October 26-31, 2022, during Continuing Promise 2022. Senior Airman Tabari Matthews, 189th dental technician, assisted Canadian Army Captain Cleve Kim, dentist, [ … ]
A mission that will change people’s lives was the general sentiment of military, local, and international leaders as the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort arrived at the Port of Miami on October 23, on its last stateside port of call before setting sails toward Latin America and the Caribbean [ … ]
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