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Lessons from Maritime Interdictions: What Recent Cases Revealed About Illicit Shipping NetworksTransnational Crime

Lessons from Maritime Interdictions: What Recent Cases Revealed About Illicit Shipping Networks

Recent maritime interdictions in the Caribbean and Atlantic are providing new insight into how illicit shipping networks operate across the hemisphere. Beyond the vessels themselves, recent cases have revealed complex systems of intermediaries, shell companies, changing registries, deceptive routing practices, and covert logistics structures designed to conceal responsibility and complicate enforcement efforts. The findings are reshaping how maritime authorities understand…

May 28, 2026
Building Trust in Uniform: Restoring Security and State Presence in HaitiSecurity & Cooperation

Building Trust in Uniform: Restoring Security and State Presence in Haiti

As Haiti’s security and humanitarian challenges continue, the country faces the difficult task of reducing violence while rebuilding public trust in state institutions. Armed groups have expanded presence in large portions of the capital, Port-au-Prince, contributing to large-scale displacement and disruptions to daily life, supply routes, and access to food, healthcare, and other essential services. In this environment, efforts to…

May 27, 2026
The Shadow of Russia and Iran in VenezuelaStrategic Influence

The Shadow of Russia and Iran in Venezuela

Venezuela’s recent diplomatic realignment with the United States has forced Russia and Iran — along with longtime regional ally Cuba — to reposition their influence operations after losing one of their most important footholds in Latin America. Today, however, these campaigns have become increasingly more sophisticated and harder to counter than in the past. Their objective is no longer limited…

May 26, 2026
Suriname, South Dakota Guard Conclude Operation Rumble in the JungleSecurity & Cooperation

Suriname, South Dakota Guard Conclude Operation Rumble in the Jungle

South Dakota National Guard soldiers and their Suriname partners concluded Operation Rumble in the Jungle, a joint exercise that included testing the forces’ ability to operate together in demanding jungle conditions. “The highly successful Rumble in the Jungle joint exercise marks a significant milestone in the State Partnership Program between the South Dakota National Guard and Suriname,” said Colonel Dennis…

May 26, 2026
ILEA San Salvador: Building the Networks Behind the Fight Against Organized CrimeTransnational Crime

ILEA San Salvador: Building the Networks Behind the Fight Against Organized Crime

As transnational criminal organizations grow more adaptive, technologically sophisticated, and interconnected, countries across Latin America and the Caribbean face a common challenge: how to respond in a coordinated and effective way. Increasingly, that response depends not only on national capabilities, but also on the ability to work across borders, share intelligence, and apply common investigative approaches. At the center of…

May 22, 2026
From Rivers to Networks: Confronting Transnational Organized Crime in the Amazon BasinTransnational Crime

From Rivers to Networks: Confronting Transnational Organized Crime in the Amazon Basin

In response to the growing reach and sophistication of transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) across Latin America, governments in the region are strengthening cooperation to better disrupt these networks and their illicit activities. As criminal groups operate across borders and diversify their portfolio — from drug to environmental crimes — isolated national responses have proven insufficient, driving a shift toward more…

May 22, 2026
Coordinated Operations Reshape Ecuador’s Approach to Transnational CrimeTransnational Crime

Coordinated Operations Reshape Ecuador’s Approach to Transnational Crime

Recent maritime and investigative operations have highlighted a shift in how Ecuador is confronting transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), with authorities placing greater emphasis on coordinated efforts across national and international partners. As criminal networks continue to operate across borders and domains, Ecuador has begun restructuring how it integrates military, police, and intelligence capabilities, moving beyond fragmented approaches toward a more…

May 21, 2026
Tracking the Shadow Fleet: How Maritime Enforcement Is Evolving in the HemisphereTransnational Crime

Tracking the Shadow Fleet: How Maritime Enforcement Is Evolving in the Hemisphere

Illicit maritime networks operating across the Western Hemisphere are becoming increasingly sophisticated. No longer relying solely on isolated smuggling vessels or covert nighttime movements, sanctioned actors and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) now operate through complex maritime structures designed to obscure ownership, conceal cargo origins, and exploit legal and regulatory gaps across jurisdictions. These evolving networks — often referred to as…

May 20, 2026
GLACSED: A New Regional Framework to Combat Organized Crime in Latin America and the CaribbeanTransnational Crime

GLACSED: A New Regional Framework to Combat Organized Crime in Latin America and the Caribbean

Guatemala served as the epicenter of an ambitious regional effort, bringing together leaders from security forces, local authorities, experts, and representatives of civil society at the Latin American and Caribbean Forum on Democratic Security and Territorial Governance. The event, held in mid-February, marked the launch of the Latin American and Caribbean Group on Security and Democracy (GLACSED), a key initiative…

May 19, 2026
Space Conference of the Americas: Space Challenges Know No BordersEmerging Threats

Space Conference of the Americas: Space Challenges Know No Borders

As space becomes increasingly important for security, defense, disaster response, and technological development, military leaders and representatives from partner nations from across the hemisphere gathered at U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) headquarters in Doral, Florida, April 28–30, for the Space Conference of the Americas 2026, hosted by SOUTHCOM in collaboration with U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM). The conference brought together senior military…

May 18, 2026
New Map of Organized Crime in BrazilTransnational Crime

New Map of Organized Crime in Brazil

Organized crime in Brazil is undergoing a profound transformation. The continued expansion of drug trafficking — illustrated by sharp increases in drug seizures in parts of the country, including a reported 40 percent rise in Pará state in 2025 — combined with the growing exploitation of Brazil’s financial ecosystem, including parts of the fintech sector, is reshaping criminal networks and…

May 18, 2026
Efforts Grow to Counter China’s Expanding Distant-Water Fishing FleetStrategic Influence

Efforts Grow to Counter China’s Expanding Distant-Water Fishing Fleet

A growing international coalition of governments, civil society organizations, and fishing-sector stakeholders is calling for stronger controls on China’s distant-water fishing fleet operating in the South Pacific. Their concerns go beyond sustainability. The expansion of China’s fleet has increasingly raised questions about maritime security, high seas governance, and the ability of coastal states to safeguard their sovereignty and economic interests…

May 15, 2026